


Promise of the Rings

by andrea_readwolf



Series: A Matter of Heart: Dance of the Heart Arc [6]
Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Het and Slash, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2001-10-11
Updated: 2002-07-31
Packaged: 2020-01-11 08:21:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 94,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18426705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andrea_readwolf/pseuds/andrea_readwolf
Summary: Promise Of The Rings by Andrea ReadwolfPart 4 of the Dance of the Heart Arc, A Matter of Heart Series by Andrea Readwolf28-Oct-2001Rating: YA-AdultPairings: 3+4 (4x3/3x4), 1+2+5 (2x1/2x1, 5x2/2x5, 1x5/5x1), 6+9, 6+13, R+D, 11+SWarnings: The following fic contains scenes that are humorous, sap, and angst; slightly AU with Incoherence and random POV switching. Original Characters are presented; all characters are IC according to the author's interpretation of them.Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters belong to Bandai, Sunrise and Sotsu Agency and are only being used for non-profit entertainment purposes.References to printed texts, films, sitcoms, musical pieces, and/or other fanfictions don't belong to the author either.Notes: This is the Sequel to "In the Pale Moonlight" and represents Part 4 in the DANCE OF THE HEART Arc. The action picks up hours after Heero blows up the Mariemeia's fortified castle and continues up through the following Christmas. Original characters will be appearing throughout the fic: the Behr siblings, the Winner Clan, the Raberbas, etc.Additional Note: It would be impossible to embark on the next leg of this journey without giving credit where credit is due. My 1+2+5 obsession is heavily due to Bonnejeanne, Vonceia, RavynFyre, and KeelyWolfe. It's unthinkable to me to precede with "Promise of the Rings" without acknowledging those ladies who have paved the way for me with this grouping. As a result, my opinions and writings may seem very similar to theirs'. This fic is not an attempt to steal their words-only an attempt to finalize what was set in motion in "Have You Ever..."





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Promise Of The Rings by Andrea Readwolf
> 
> Part 4 of the Dance of the Heart Arc, A Matter of Heart Series by Andrea Readwolf
> 
> 28-Oct-2001
> 
> Rating: YA-Adult  
> Pairings: 3+4 (4x3/3x4), 1+2+5 (2x1/2x1, 5x2/2x5, 1x5/5x1), 6+9, 6+13, R+D, 11+S
> 
>  
> 
> Warnings: The following fic contains scenes that are humorous, sap, and angst; slightly AU with Incoherence and random POV switching. Original Characters are presented; all characters are IC according to the author's interpretation of them.
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters belong to Bandai, Sunrise and Sotsu Agency and are only being used for non-profit entertainment purposes.  
> References to printed texts, films, sitcoms, musical pieces, and/or other fanfictions don't belong to the author either.
> 
>  
> 
> Notes: This is the Sequel to "In the Pale Moonlight" and represents Part 4 in the DANCE OF THE HEART Arc. The action picks up hours after Heero blows up the Mariemeia's fortified castle and continues up through the following Christmas. Original characters will be appearing throughout the fic: the Behr siblings, the Winner Clan, the Raberbas, etc.
> 
>  
> 
> Additional Note: It would be impossible to embark on the next leg of this journey without giving credit where credit is due. My 1+2+5 obsession is heavily due to Bonnejeanne, Vonceia, RavynFyre, and KeelyWolfe. It's unthinkable to me to precede with "Promise of the Rings" without acknowledging those ladies who have paved the way for me with this grouping. As a result, my opinions and writings may seem very similar to theirs'. This fic is not an attempt to steal their words-only an attempt to finalize what was set in motion in "Have You Ever..."  
>  
> 
>  

 

**Promise Of The Rings by Andrea Readwolf**

**Part One: Reunion After the Battle**

 

His head felt a little funny, and his body was a bit sore, but other than that, he thought he was fine. Someone's fingers were playing in his hair--teasing his scalp and curling around chunks of dark coffee-colored locks. It felt good he decided and for a moment or two, he contemplated not letting the other person know he was awake.

"You scared the shit out of me back there, you know."

He smiled and looked up, meeting those dark violet-blue eyes he adored. "Are you going to punish me?"

Duo grinned back at him--now that their mission was over, it seemed everything was back to normal. Or--as back to normal as things could get for them, he figured. "Is that a request?" he teased his Japanese lover, letting his fingers slide down the other side of Heero's scalp, brushing ear and neck.

"Mmm, might be," Heero murmured, dark eyes drifting shut in pleasure. "What's our status?"

Duo sighed. 'Business before Pleasure'--how he *hated* that motto. "Normal. You're in the hospital--" he pinched his lover's side "--again, for extreme exhaustion and bodily stress--why am I not surprised?--The gundams have all been destroyed. We self-destructed them earlier today. Quatre's people are taking care of the remains. Trowa headed back up to L3 a little after that. Quatre requested that we all join him for New Year's at one of his estates--he also made sure that we understood we didn't have a choice in the matter and that if we weren't there by 1800 on the 31st he'd send the Maganacs after us, and let me tell you, if you haven't met them before, believe you me, you want to be on their *good* side. Relena made it back to Sank safely--but Dorothy was chewing her ear off the entire way to the airport. That was a hoot!

"Umm... what else? Let's see... the Preventers got in and finished cleaning up Barton's mess. Lady Une took that kid, Mariemeia, into custody. And, um, oh! I got a page from Hilde. I'm gonna have to head back up to L2 for some biz." Duo crossed his arms and hooked them over the bedside.

Heero was frowning at him, but that didn't stop Duo from grinning. "You talk too much," the Japanese pilot said, playing with Duo's fingers. "What about Wufei?"

Duo's lips mewed. "I didn't catch him, but Quatre assured me that he was going to be at this little shin-dig New Year's Eve, too." He stared at their fingers for several minutes just thinking. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked quietly when his thoughts became too much for him alone.

"More than ever now," Heero answered. Their fingers closed around each other. "Are you sure?"

Duo looked up at him and offered his lover a smile. "I think it's worth a shot. Yeah. I'm sure I wanna do this."

"Good."

"Good."

 

 

How did one tell the girl who was like a sister to him, that he was gay? Trowa wasn't quite sure, and when he returned to the circus, late that night, Catherine was just so happy that he was safe, and alive, and home, that he really didn't have the heart to tell her that he didn't think he would be staying very long.

Quatre had told both Duo and Trowa that he expected all the gundam pilots New Year's Eve--no excuses. When the blond boy escorted him to his shuttle, Quatre had told Trowa that they needed to talk. Trowa didn't argue.

Quatre grabbed his hand before he boarded his ship, stopping him. "Know this, Trowa," the blond had said. "There is no where in this universe that I couldn't find you if I wanted to." Quatre squeezed his hand. "Don't hide from me, Trowa."

It had taken him a moment, but Trowa finally found the courage to squeeze back. "I won't," he whispered, before letting go and climbing into the commercial shuttle that would take him back to L3.

All the way back, he thought about that. About the feel of Quatre's hand in his. About how good it felt to be with the others, working together as a team, a unit. About Quatre...

He'd meant what he said. He wasn't going to hide anymore. He was tired of hiding.

"Cathy? Can we talk?" he asked as they turned in towards the circus grounds.

"Of course, Trowa."

 

 

"You don't have to continue staring," the Chinese youth snapped when it finally became too much for him. He continued to study his console, however, refusing to look back at her. "I have no intentions of running away."

Sally Po grinned and swung her seat back around to her own station. "Well, I'm glad to hear that," she replied, reaching for one of the folder print-outs another young Preventer had handed her earlier. "Our job here is almost done."

Wufei swiveled and shot her a questioning look. "But there's still--"

"The others can handle everything else," Sally answered, passing the folder to him. "We've got other business to attend to."

"What's this?" Wufei asked, suspiciously, eying the manila folder before accepting and flipping through it. "Well, your little tantrum Christmas Eve ruined some plans of mine--" Wufei's eyes narrowed as he looked over the edge of the folder at her. Sally didn't seem to notice or, if she did, care. "And since Quatre so graciously invited us and some of the others over for New Year's... "

"Fine," the Chinese youth cut her off, dropping the folder off to the side as he turned back to his console. "I will stay here, you may go."

"Un uh. Doesn't work that way," Sally replied--why did she get the feeling she was dealing with a stubborn child? Or worse, a stubborn teenager...

"Excuse me?" Wufei's voice was like ice although he didn't turn back around to face her.

"All the other pilots are going to be there, Wufei," she said, trying another tactic "Don't you want to--"

"No."

"Wufei... " It was a warning Mother's voice and Sally nearly hated herself for using it.

"I have no desire to see the other gundam pilots," Wufei replied, concentrating extra hard on his screen.

"Well, they would like to see you," she reminded him. This time he just plain out refused to answer at all, and Sally felt her anger rise. How dare he--"This may surprise you, Chang Wufei, but there were people who were *worried* about you this last year!"

Wufei snorted.

Sally's chair swiveled around completely until she sat--arms and legs crossed--*staring* at the obstinate boy's back. "You presence has been requested, Chang Wufei," she said in a voice that seemed to run liquid steel down the Chinese boy's spine. "Would you dishonor those people who believed in you even when you did not believe in yourself?"

Yes, she knew all the lectures, the 'talks' of family and honor. She could recite any of them at a drop of a hat. And she knew it was a little low and dirty of her to be doing this to Wufei, attacking his honor to force him into agreeing to come. But she believed it was for the best.

Wufei's entire body was so tensed it hurt. "Woman," he rasped out, his voice echoing in the space between them. "Do not speak of things which you do not understand."

"Wufei... "

"No." He stood abruptly, his palms crashing down upon his console as his body heaved upwards. "I will hear no more." He turned sharply away from her and left.

Sally frowned as the door slid shut behind him, shaking her head with sadness. "Wufei... "

 

 

"I wish I could have stayed longer," he apologized sincerely, but there was still something else more important on his 'To-Do' list.

"I understand, Master Quatre," the tall, dark commander of the Manganac soldiers replied, bowing before the smaller young man. "It is good to see you well and safe. I know the men appreciated it."

"And you, my friend, and you." Quatre wasted little time wrapping his proportionally small arms around the bear of a man he greatly respected. "I'm holding a small New Year's Celebration at one of my homes," he continued, pulling back away. "I would love it if you and the others could join me."

Rashid couldn't help but smile at the blond youth. The boy was so generous and kind. "I am sure the men would appreciate that, Master Quatre."

"You know," Quatre shot the older man a teasing smile. "You really don't have to call me 'Master', Rashid. I'd like to think we are friends."

The older man smiled fondly and clasped a hand behind Quatre's shoulder. "Your uncle once tried to tell me the same thing," he confided.

"Kiell?" Quatre looked up with avid interest as the older man nodded. "Rashid... you... knew my mother and uncle very well?"

"All of my young life, Master Quatre."

Quatre nodded, looking down as thoughts tumbled over themselves in his head. "Do you think," he asked, looking back up at the man, "That one day, maybe, if it wouldn't be too much trouble, you could tell me about them... ?"

Rashid stared at the boy and noticed, really noticed, just how young the boy was. It was sometimes easy to forget that when you knew he was a gundam pilot, a warrior, not to mention CEO of one of the largest companies in the earth sphere. But the boy was still only sixteen...

"I promise, I will do so, Master Quatre," he vowed. "But, come. Now is not the time. Your shuttle is prepared for you."

"Thank you, Rashid. Efficient as always." Quatre sighed as he followed the older man through the Manganac camp. "It was good, to see everyone again."

"They enjoyed seeing you, as well, Master Quatre."

The blond youth smiled. "I had almost forgotten how it felt, to be in the cockpit, fighting for freedom... " Rashid looked over his shoulder but did not comment. Quatre's blue eyes looked up and caught the other's dark stare. "I know I can trust you and the others with this."

"Of course, Master Quatre. We will tell no one."

"Not even amongst yourselves."

"Not even among ourselves," the dark bearded man vowed. "It will accompany us to our graves."

"Thank you, my friend," Quatre said, and the relief was evident in his voice. "I know it is much to ask of you, but no one must know that they exist, not even the other pilots."

There were several minutes of silence as they traveled down one of the observational corridors. "Master Quatre," the older servant began, somewhat hesitant. "Do you think it is wise to keep such a secret from the other pilots?"

Quatre stood still, chin bowed towards his chest. "They have said their goodbyes, Rashid. Let the gundams remain a memory for them. But I will not be caught with my pants around my ankles again."

"Master Quatre?"

Quatre looked up, his lips turning up in an almost teasing smile, his eyes twinkling with a light of madness that made the older man want to step back. "I pray the need never comes, Rashid, my friend, but if it does, we will not be defenseless."

The large Manganac soldier had nothing to say to him. Quatre's head tilted until he could peer out the observation window, down into the hanger below. Chunks of metal were piled about as mechanics scurried about, reassembling the five gundams.

 

 

"So, really, this would just make things official like," Duo was saying as he pushed the documents across the table towards Lexie.

"But, Duo... " the girl asked, staring at the papers but hesitant to touch them. "I don't understand. Why me? Of all peoples?"

"Lex, you're a great girl." Duo relaxed back into his chair as he recited the rundown of reasons why he'd come to her. "You've done time on the streets, just like the rest of us. You were there at Maxwell Church with the others. You know where these kids have been and where they could be going. Why not you? It would be a chance to, like, pay Father Maxwell and Sister Helen back... "

The teenager worried her bottom lip between her teeth. "They were really good to me... "

"Yeah, me too, Lex. Me, too."

She looked up at him, her large dark eyes wide with doubt. "I couldn't possibly do it by myself, Duo. I mean, there are a lot of kids out there these days. More then when we were there... They've been out there for a while, now. Many of them wont want to come in and live in an orphanage. You remember what it was like. And I couldn't possibly do it myself--"

"What if you had help?" Duo interrupted her, leaning forward again. "Then you'd do it?"

"I--"

"What about Cam?" She shot him a look. "This is a chance for a steady job, Lex. A good place to live. Guaranteed meals... "

"I'm not very good at cooking... "

"We'll get a cook then."

"But that's so much money!" she wailed.

"You let me worry about the money, okay?" Duo smoothed.

Lexie shook her head in disbelief. "What did you do, Duo? Rob a bank or something? I mean, how can you just... do this?" She motioned around them. "You show up after *how* many years? We all thought you were dead or something and then you just up and decide to show your face again and you come in here and fix everyone's problems... " She stared at him, a lost, confused child, afraid to believe that she'd really found a home. At last. After so many years...

Duo grinned. "I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill ya," he whispered with a wink.

Lexie half-laughed, half-sobbed and shook her head again. "I probably didn't want to know anyway."

"So you'll do it?" he asked, looking into her dark eyes.

Her head bounced helplessly on her neck. "Alright," she answered weakly.

Duo beamed at her and jumped up from his seat, excited. Other people in the small diner looked at them. Lexie sniffed and laughed, wiping furiously at her eyes and cheeks. "Great! You wont regret it, Lex. Here," he scribbled something down on the folder he'd handed her and slid it back across the table towards her. "This is the name and number of a man who'll be getting in touch with you soon. You can trust him, Lex. He works for me. He'll set you up with all the details and stuff you're gonna need to know, all right?"

"Sure," the girl replied, staring at the blurry words scribbled across the folder, feeling more than just a bit overwhelmed.

"Don't worry, Lexie," Duo said gently, reaching out and cupping her shoulder. "It's a good thing you're doing."

"I know, I know." She looked up at him. "It's a *big* thing I'm doing... to be responsible, for all those kids... It's been so much just being responsible for my son and myself... but now you're asking me to... " Lexie shook her head and looked away. "Duo, there's so many now. So many more than when we were there... "

"That's why you're needed so bad, Lexie."

"Hmphf."

Duo grinned and reached into his pocket, pulling out a wad of credits. "Listen, consider this an advancement in pay," he said, handing her the money. "Get some food into you and that baby of yours. Get some new clothes, too." When she looked ready to argue he added, "You want to look good for your new job, don't you, Lexie?"

She glared at him. He winked back at her. "Thanks, Lex. I appreciate this."

 

 

He studied the scene below with a critical eye. It only took him a minute to pick out all ten men who were dispersed throughout the room. They still needed work, he thought with an invisible frown. They were good, but not good enough. Last week's little event was proof enough of that.

At least now they were all a bit more serious about their job, Heero thought, looking over the Vice Minister again as Relena went on with her speech. He knew Dorothy Catalonia was waiting in the sidelines for when the speech was over. Relena was safe enough, for today, anyway. He flung his jacket over his shoulder and left the auditorium. No one bothered him. Only one guard noticed his leaving--not bad when he wasn't really trying to hide.

He was actually looking forward to this meeting of Quatre's. Even though he'd been in almost constant contact with the blond pilot and Trowa, he knew Duo hadn't been--his braided lover having been all wrapped up in his Miramar Project and the reconstruction of Maxwell Orphanage. But more than that, Heero was looking forward to seeing Wufei again.

It had been a year. A year and six days to be exact. And then... Heero frowned, shoving his hands into his jeans as he walked down the colonial street towards the space docks.

What had Wufei been thinking? Joining Dekim like that?

All the way back to Earth, Heero tried to puzzle through his mixed thoughts and emotions concerning the Chinese pilot. He wished he could fly over to L2 and pick Duo up, just so he wouldn't have to be alone with his thoughts, but they'd talked earlier and arranged to meet up at Quatre's. Heero put the ship on autopilot and reserved to spend the time alone with his thoughts.

With any luck, by the time he made it to Quatre's, he'd at least have some things worked out.

 

 

To say that Quatre was excited about seeing everybody again would be a serious understatement. It was only two in the afternoon--a full four hours before everyone was supposed to be there--and already he'd been kicked out of the kitchen and just about every other room in the spacious estate.

"Don't worry, Mr. Quatre," the bubbly headmistress of this estate told him. "We will take care of everything. You will see!"

That was fine. But what was *he* supposed to do in the meantime. He found he couldn't even concentrate on his work.

Would they all come?

Would Trowa come?

He hoped the other boy would be the first to arrive so they could talk. He wanted to tell the cinnamon-haired pilot the decision he'd come to. His decision to--

The door opened and Quatre whirled around. The servant--a young man, maybe only a few years younger than Quatre--bowed and refused to meet Quatre's eyes. "A young man is here to see you, sir. A Mr. Yuy."

"Heero?" Quatre almost rushed the boy before catching himself. "Yes, please show him in."

"As you wish, sir." And then the servant was gone, leaving Quatre alone again with his thoughts.

Not who he was hoping for first, he thought, but definitely not a bad place to start.

 

 

The airport was pretty busy for New Year's Ever. Or, at least Duo thought so. He figured everyone would be home with friends and family, not crammed together in some airport waiting in line to get on or off some shuttle or waiting to check in or pick up their baggage--which was what Duo was currently doing when a tall head bobbing through the crowds caught his attention.

He had to look twice, but there just weren't too many people around who sported that kind of hair cut.

"TROWA!" he shouted out over the noise of the people around him.

Sure enough, the head paused and then turned around, one visible green eye scanning through the crush of people. Duo waved a hand, flagging the other teen over. It took some maneuvering, but Trowa managed to make his way over to Duo's side, offering a small, almost non-existent smile and bob of head in greeting.

"Hey, man! Good to see ya again! Good to see ya!" Duo practically *glomped* the taller teen as he laughed and slapped Trowa across the back. Violet eyes twinkled in tune with his manic-like smile as Duo eyed Trowa's apparel. "On your way to Quatre's, too, huh?"

Trowa nodded and motioned Duo forward as the line moved. "As I would imagine you are."

"Yep," Duo agreed, stepping up into a free spot at the luggage carousel. "Ooh! Ooh! There's mine!" he cried pointing towards an obscenely large black bag.

Trowa reached around an older woman trying to catch her bag and snatched it up for her.

"Oh, that's mine, that's mine!" the woman cried before he handed to bag to her. "Oh, thank you!"

"Which one is yours?" Trowa asked, looking back at the revolving bags as he stepped up to take the space the old woman vacated.

"This black one coming up," Duo answered, leaning up on his tip-toes to see over the on-coming bags.

Trowa looked back at Duo. "Did you pack a mobile suit?"

Duo grinned and winked at his friend. "Something better."

Trowa shook his head and looked away, snatching up the black bag in question as it came around. Duo dug through his carry-on bag for his baggage ticket and the two of them began making their way outside. "Why isn't Heero with you?"

"Oh, I got called back to L2 to fix some problems that came up," Duo said, flagging down a taxi. "So we decided just to meet up at Quatre's. I figure he's already there. Besides--" He shot Trowa another mischievous look. "It gave me time to grab some things from home."

"Hn."

"What?" Duo climbed into the cab ahead of Trowa, performed a little turn and sat back against the far side door to watch Trowa as he followed Duo in. "I haven't had sex in three weeks thanks to that little girl. She really messed up my Christmas plans."

"It wasn't her fault, Duo," Trowa softly chastised. "And you can live without sex."

"That, my friend, is debatable." Trowa didn't reply, which caught Duo's attention. "Oh, come on, man. You and Quatre were going at it all the time last year, so don't tell me--"

"That was last year," Trowa replied, looking out the window as the driver returned and asked them their destination.

Duo handed the man a sheet of directions and turned back to Trowa. "Oh, come on. You don't mean to tell me that--"

"Duo." Trowa's soft-spoken voice sliced through Duo's. "Please."

Duo frowned but backed off, trying to piece together all that Heero had passed on to him. He knew Trowa had returned to the circus. And *everybody* knew Quatre was president of Winner Enterprises. That, of course, involved living in different places, but Duo had thought... he'd thought Trowa and Quatre were still... together. Like him and Heero. Even though Heero had been spending a lot of time away, working with Relena's personal police, he still came home to Duo regularly. Duo, of course, wish that they could spend *more* time together--like they had last year--but, he had to be honest with himself. He had been so busy with Miramar and the orphanage that the only time he really noticed Heero's absence was at home, and then he just avoided being home too long for anything more than sleep.

But... Trowa and Quatre? Broken up? His curiosity was killing him. Those two were perfect for each other--everyone knew it. What possible reason could there be for them to break up? Trowa was tightlipped, but he bet he could get it out of Quatre.

 

 

Heero's pager went off and both teens jumped, reaching for their waist. "It's mine," Heero called, pulling the device free from his waist to read the message. Quatre settled back into the sofa across from Heero to wait and watch.

"Hn. Duo and Trowa are on their way," heero announced, slipping the pager back away.

"Oh, that's good, then we're just waiting for Wufei," Quatre replied.

Heero tried not to frown. "Are you sure he's going to show?"

Quatre smiled knowingly at his friend. "WEI contributes a generous donation to the Preventer Organization," the blonde teen informed his friend. "Lady Une has personally guaranteed Wufei's attendance."

The Japanese youth couldn't hide his amused smile. "First Manganac soldiers to do your bidding and now paid Preventers?" Heero shook his head. "And are they going to kidnap a civilian to get him here?"

Quatre was standing to go get himself another drink, motioning towards Heero's glass in questioning. "I thought you knew. Wufei joined the Preventers the day after the Mariemeia incident."

"Hn." Heero thought. "No. I didn't know that."

"Yes, he joined on with Sally Po, actually." Quatre returned with their drinks. "He and she left immediately for space."

"Then how can he--"

Quatre smiled and handed Heero his drink. "They're on their way back as we speak."

"Hn."

 

 

"Hn."

"I gotta go, Anne," Sally said to the image of the young head of the Preventers. "The dragon had emerged from his den and is growling."

The mouse-brown-haired woman almost laughed. "Is that his new Preventer name, Agent Water?" she asked amused.

"'Dragon'?" Sally looked over her shoulder at the scowling young Chinese man. "I think it works, don't you?"

"I agree," Anne replied before turning serious. "Very well then. I expect to see you both this evening." She nodded before signing off.

"What did that onna have to say?" Wufei muttered as he dropped into one of the pilot's seats.

"Mariemeia is doing better," Sally answered. "She was released from the hospital this morning."

Wufei nodded to himself. "That is good."

"Agents Wind and Fire have disappeared," Sally continued, catching Wufei's undivided attention. "No one has seen them since yesterday morning."

"I suppose it is wise of Wind to remain undercover," Wufei mused allowed. "But he should have had the decency to inform Lady Une of where he has gone to."

"She agrees," Sally told him, amused. "But she's not about to waste people on trying to find him."

"Good for her."

"Hn," the sandy haired blonde replied. "I'm glad you're awake. We're almost at the drop point."

" 'Drop point'?" Wufei questioned, shooting a sardonic look towards the woman who just smiled sweetly at him.

"I figured I could just fly over Quatre's estate and you could just jump out," Sally smirked. "Save some fuel in landing."

"Nice try, woman."

"I'm so glad you agree," Sally teased. "We're heading to the private air strip just south of the main house. I'm heading up into Capitol City."

"You're not coming?" the dark haired boy asked, feeling somewhat alarmed.

Sally smiled at him. "Don't sweat it, Wufei. Quatre invited us over for the count down. I'm going to pick up Anne and Mariemeia and drive in with them. Okay?" She teased. "Do I have your permission?"

"I suppose so," the Chinese pilot grumbled disagreeably, causing Sally to laugh.

"Don't worry, Wufei. They won't eat you, you know."

'That's what you think,' he thought but did not say.

 

 

 

"No, no! Sir! I must protest!"

Quatre's and Heero's attention was already focused on the door when it burst open for Duo and Trowa, the distraught servant following at their heels.

"The *FUUUUUUN* has *arriiiiived*!" Duo sang out, holding his arms up and striking a pose.

"Sir!" the nervous servant pushed forward. "I *tried* to stop them, sir! But they wouldn't listen!"

"It's all right, it's all right," Quatre said as he tried to calm the panicked boy and not laugh at Duo's antics at the same time. "They are family, Alan."

"Sir?" the boy still looked hesitant and it took a moment for Quatre to realize the boy expected to be punished. Quatre's chest panged and he reached out for the boy, wanting to cry when the boy flinched away from his hand. "Alan, you have already met Heero," he introduced, motioning to the young intense man who currently had his arms full of his braided lover. "And Duo Maxwell. And this is Trowa Barton--" The boy stood petrified in his spot while Trowa offered a comforting smile and small nod. "And there will be one more member of our family arriving soon," Quatre continued. "Wufei Chang. About my height, dark haired--"

"Grumpy!" Duo added. "Mean. Likes to bite people's heads off."

The servant boy's eyes grew to the size of saucers, his face draining of all color before he fled.

"Duo!" Quatre chastised. "That wasn't very nice."

"I meant *figuratively*, not literally," the braided boy grinned in reply, turning around in his lover's arms to lean back against Heero. "So where is Wuffers anyway? I thought we were all supposed to be here."

"It's Wu*FEI*, not *wuffers*," a disgruntled voice answered from behind Trowa. "And I am right here."

Trowa practically jumped out of the doorway, having been too preoccupied with the two scenes before him to notice the fifth member's arrival. As he turned to greet Wufei, he silently castigated himself for his lack of attention. "Wufei."

"Barton," the smaller young man replied with a short nod.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Duo broke away from Heero and moved in between the two boys. "We're *friends* here, right? I thought we got over all this 'Barton', 'Chang', 'Yuy', 'Maxwell' crap. Now," Duo planted his fists on his hips. "I, for one, think it's pretty shitty that Quatre's the only one you call by name. So, I think you should either call us all by our first names or all by our last names." He followed up his little speech with a punctuated nod.

Everyone just stared at him in silence for a full minute.

"Maxwell," Wufei said first. "I see you still don't know how to keep your mouth shut."

Duo delivered a decidedly devious smile to the Asian boy. "Oh, but I've learned so many interesting things to--"

"I know you all must be tired," Quatre broke in quickly, flushed with excitement. He cleared his throat before continuing, "And while I had wanted us all to talk before any of the others arrived for the party tonight, perhaps it would be best if we just rested up first."

"Sure," Duo replied, reaching for the bag he'd dropped near the door. "I could use a little R&R before the real fun starts."

"I can show you to your rooms, then," Quatre returned, motioning for the door.

"We'll be right behind you, Quatre," Heero spoke up, pulling Duo back towards him.

"Um, oh, sure," the blond stumbled, turning around and then around again. "Wufei? Trowa?"

"Why don't you go ahead and show Trowa to his room, Quatre," Heero suggested, holding Wufei's dark gaze.

Quatre turned again, caught between wanting to be alone with Trowa... and... He noticed the charged, silent exchange between the two Asian pilots and decided to make a quick exit. "This way, Trowa," he said politely, motioning the taller boy out of the study.

 

 

"I'm glad you came," Quatre said softly as he led the taller teen to the staircase. Trowa didn't say anything. He couldn't. His throat was swollen around his tongue, choking off his voice. "I--I wanted to talk to you."

He couldn't look at him, but he could feel him. Trowa's presence behind him burned his back. They were walking down a long hallway now; at the end of the hallway there was a large window beaming with late afternoon sunshine. The doors were spaced far apart from one another; this was the residential wing of the estate. Quatre stopped at the third door from the end.

"This will be your room for your stay here," the blond boy said, turning the knob and pushing the door open. "If you don't like something or if you need anything, please tell someone and--"

"Quatre--"

The blond boy stood in the center of the dressing room, looking down at his shiny loafers. At his sides, his closed fists shook. "Why, Trowa?" he whispered, sounding like a lost, frightened child.

Trowa had only heard that tone of voice from the blond boy once before, when they stood against one another in Wing ZERO and Vayeate. Standing just inside the room now, Trowa's chest froze and he felt like an icy knife had pieced his heart.

Quatre turned suddenly, and pierced Trowa with his eyes. "Why did you say those things, Trowa?" he asked, this time his voice sounded stronger, harder. "Did you really believe them? Did you really believe that what we had was *'just sex'*?" He sneered the last words as the foulness he thought of them.

"Quatre, I--" Trowa broke away from Quatre's burning stare and looked down at the rug beneath his feet. "I did what I thought was best," he answered finally.

"Best for whom?" Quatre shouted. "Best for you? Because it sure as hell wasn't best for me!"

Trowa looked up, shocked. In all his remembrance, he couldn't once recall his blond prince using anything near profanity.

Quatre closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and shook his head, blond bangs falling into his eyes. "Did you really mean what you said to me, Trowa? Was it really just sex for you?" Two flashing aqua-colored eyes opened and focused on the only other person in the room.

"Quatre, I--I'm sorry," was all Trowa could think of to say. He'd been wrong, he understood that now. Quatre wasn't like the others. Quatre was...

~ "Don't let your heart get involved." ~

But it was too late.

"No, Quatre," he answered softly, still not able to look up from the rug. He deserved his prince's anger, he knew. He had been a fool. He had been the perfect clown. And he had hurt not only himself, but his most precious golden prince as well. That was unforgivable. He had failed the one person he had sought to protect.

Suddenly, Trowa realized he was looking at a pair of shoes, and they weren't his own. He followed the cream khaki pants up to where they met with a light lavender dress shirt, and as he continued his slow progress up, he realized some things. His Quatre was older, now. A year had left its mark upon the smaller boy.

Quatre was only a few inches shorter than Trowa, but his body had filled out some. Even through the somewhat concealing clothes, Trowa could tell the Quatre was broader than before, thicker. And god, but he was still beautiful. Even more so now than before.

"Why did you say those things to me, Trowa?" Quatre asked gently, standing two bare feet away from the other boy. Close enough to touch, but refraining from doing so. "Why did you run away from me like that?"

Trowa's breath caught in his chest. Run away. That's what he had done, wasn't it? He'd been afraid, and so he ran away. He didn't want to get hurt... and yet he was the one to blame for all the pain he'd gone through this past year. His and Quatre's pain. It was his fault. Because he'd been afraid and ran away.

"I was afraid," he answered, forcing himself to look directly into Quatre's unwavering stare.

"Of what, Trowa?"

His chest constricted around his lungs and Trowa felt like he was suffocating. Or worse--like he was going to start crying at any moment. "Of you," he whispered.

Quatre's resolve broke and he reached out for the other boy. "Trowa... ? Why of me?" he asked beseechingly as his fingers slipped over Trowa's cheek and into his hair.

Upon first touch, Trowa's forest green eyes slid shut tight, as if the sight and touch both was too much for him. "Because you made me feel." Trowa licked his lips. "You made me want things I thought I couldn't have."

"What do you want?" Quatre asked, stepping closer until his body almost pressed up against Trowa's.

"You." The breathy reply scalded Quatre's face.

"But you already have me," Quatre replied. He couldn't resist from touching. Not now, not anymore. Not now that Trowa was finally here, in front of him, after nearly a year. "You've had me from the moment you stepped out from HeavyArms's cockpit and tried to surrender to me. Didn't you know that, Trowa?"

Trowa's eyes squeezed tighter, as if he was fighting someone or something. Fighting himself, maybe. "No... "

Whether he was answering Quatre's question or protesting something, the blond didn't know, but he was determined to get his way this time. When all this was over, Trowa wouldn't be trying to leave him for any reason, he determined. He closed the last gap between them, pressing his body flush against Trowa's. "What do you want, Trowa?"

Trowa's hands came up to Quatre's sides and he turned his face in, burying it in the shorter teen's neck and throat. "You," he whispered against Quatre's hot skin.

One hand, buried in Trowa's thick hair, held Trowa's head to him; the other wrapped around the teen's body and held him close. "Then take me."

 

 

Quatre wasn't the only one to notice the charged, silent exchange between Heero and Wufei. As the door closed behind Trowa and Quatre, Duo sighed and dropped his bag to the floor again. "Listen guys, we have to talk."

Wufei crossed his arms over his chest and turned away from Heero, focusing his attention on Duo. "Talk, we are listening."

"Dammit, Wufei!" the braided boy shouted, throwing his hands up in the air and turning, walking in a circle. "I--I--"

Wufei's lips curled in an amused smile. "You know, I think this is the first time I've seen you speechless, Maxwell."

Duo turned on him, about to say something before second-guessing himself and turning to look at Heero. "Heero... ?"

His lover crossed his arms over his chest as well and buried his chin in his chest. Through dark coffee colored bangs, burning blue eyes met with violet. Heero's head barely moved in a nod. Duo turned back to Wufei.

"Wufei... Wufei... ?" he tried again, licking his lips. "You told me once that you... that you loved me... Do you... ? Do you still... love me, Wufei?"

Wufei looked at the braided teen with wide, eyes. His arms dropped to his sides. "I--"

"Because I do." Duo rushed on before Wufei could answer. Again, he licked his lips and he sort of sidled over closer to the young man standing just inside the doorway. "I love you, Wufei. It's something I've been thinking about a lot this last year." He worried his bottom lip between his teeth, giving the other pilot a chance to respond, but Wufei was too bowled over to say anything.

"I thought about what love meant," Duo finally continued after shooting another glance over to Heero, "and what it feels like and I--I realized I loved you, Chang Wufei. Pretty scary, huh? I know I love Heero... that hasn't changed. That won't ever change," he stressed. "So. I found myself in love with two people--two guys no less. I know Heero loves me, even if he doesn't say it very often. And I know you said you did... "

Duo took a step towards Wufei. "Tell me, what's a guy supposed to do when he's in love with not one, but two other guys?

Wufei stammered before replying, "I--I don't know. Why don't you tell me?"

"Hn." Heero turned away and went to sit back down on the couch.

Duo wanted to smack his lover with one of the pillow cushions but he'd agreed to this, too. "Heero and I, have been talking about it, and--" He shot one last look towards Heero, hoping the other teen would have pity and help him out. No such luck. "Wufei... ? Do you think you could come to care about Heero?"

Wufei seemed to choke on his own breath. "What?!" he gasped.

"Well," Duo said, trying to pitch their idea without making it sound completely crazy and having a sinking feeling that he wasn't doing a very good job of it. "I have no intention of leaving Heero... but I want to be with you, too. What can I say? I'm greedy," he tried to joke. Wufei wasn't in a joking mood however. "I want my cake with icing and ice cream and some whip cream with chocolate syrup and--Ow! Watch the braid, will you? It's not a bell yank!" Duo snapped, retrieving his rope of hair from his lover's hand.

Heero sighed and fixed Wufei with another look. "The point he's trying to make is, we've talked and we want you to... join us."

Wufei sputtered again, his face darkening to a shade of purple. "What?!"

Duo rushed to add, "You don't have to answer 'yes' or 'no' right now, cause I realize it's a lot to think about and all, but, uh, will you at least consider it?"

Wufei stared, horrified, at first Duo and then Heero and then Duo again. "What you're suggesting is a--a--three-way... relationship... ? Between yourself... Heero... and... myself?" he asked, trying to clarify what he thought he'd heard.

Duo beamed at him, seeming immensely pleased. "Yep! That's pretty much the game plan we came up with!" he confirmed before getting caught with a yawn. "Wow! That took a lot outta me! Man!" he yawned again. "I'm goin' find that bed Quatre was talking about and pull in a quick nap before the party tonight. Talk to you guys later, kay? G'night. Luv ya, bu-bye!"

Duo had snatched up his bag and slipped past Wufei and out the door before either Heero or Wufei could comment. The room was pitched into a void of silence as Heero and Wufei were left in the room by themselves.

Wufei's head hurt, trying to process what had just happened. He walked farther into the room, frowning over this new puzzle in his life. "And you... agreed to this... this idea of his?" he asked, not able to look at the other pilot.

Heero snorted. "Not exactly. It was my suggestion."

Wufei's head snapped up and he stared at Heero like he'd never seen the other pilot before. "What?!"

Heero sighed and stood. "Wufei... we... were... are, friends," he said, studying the other teen. "We... trusted each other once."

Wufei didn't comment. Heero decided to try a new tact. "I... care about him, Wufei. A lot. I won't lose him. I can't. And I... hate, seeing him upset." Heero turned away from the dark-eyed pilot and walked over to the large windows overlooking the picturesque landscape. "I don't know why, but... I want to make all his problems go away. His happiness is very important to me, Wufei. And... you are important to him. To us."

The Chinese youth frowned, crossing his arm over his chest and looking down into them. "I don't want to come between you two," he growled.

"It's too late for that." Heero turned away from the window and piecred Wufei with an intense look. "You are already there, whether or not it's physically or mentally." He crossed the room until he was only three feet away from the other boy. "What we're offering you, Wufei, is the opportunity for *you* to be there... if you want."

There was silence.

Heero sighed and then went back for his jacket hanging over the back of the couch. "If you'll excuse me, I think I'll go take that nap now, too."

"Heero?" a thousand questions were running around Wufei's head. "Why?"

Heero turned towards him and just looked. "I'm not sure," he finally answered. "I'm not sure of much of anything now and days. I don't know what's going to happen, Wufei. Everything's too unpredictable where Duo's concerned."

"I see... " Wufei answered, though he wasn't really sure he did see.

"Hn." Heero crossed his arms again. "Quatre's going to ask us to stay here with him. To live here with him," he told the other boy.

Wufei frowned. "And are you going to accept his offer?"

Heero snorted. "I don't have much choice in the matter. Where Duo decides to go is where I will go. He's my home, Wufei. Where he goes, I go. It's as simple as that."

He was almost at the door when Wufei called him back.

"Heero?"

He didn't know what possessed him to do it. Maybe he was testing the other pilot, to prove that Heero wasn't really serious about this, that this was just some horrible joke. Maybe he wanted to thank Heero for the opportunity he was giving. Maybe, after a year, Wufei just craved some physical contact with another human being. For whatever reason, Chang Wufei crossed the distance between them and pressed his lips to Heero Yuy's.

"Have a good nap," he whispered, pulling back.

Heero advanced on him, his arms coming up around the other teen. "Come to bed... with us... ?" he breathed against Wufei's face.

"No." Wufei swallowed, trying to retreat but not forcefully enough. "I have to think. You have thrown too much at me at once. I wasn't prepared for--Please, just give me time to think about... what you are proposing."

Heero leaned in closer, tilting his head along side Wufei's. "I understand," he said into the Chinese boy's ear. "Until later, Wufei," he added before pressing his lips against Wufei's.

And then he was gone, leaving Wufei staring dazedly after him. "Goodnight, Heero... "

 

 

Quatre "omphfed" as he hit the bed; gasping hard and looking up at Trowa, blue eyes dark with lustful anticipation. "Trowa!" he cried, the other dipping to suckle his Adam's apple. He wiggled, adjusting to the longer body covering his, until a delicious weight pressed into his crotch. He thrust up into Trowa, crushing their trapped erections together.

Trowa purred in appreciation of the move that sent a jolt of pleasure-pain racing through him. He slid down the blond's luscious little body until Quatre's rosy nipple was in reach of his hungry mouth. His name crying out from his lover's lips was a sweet sound to him.

Quatre bucked again, and this time Trowa responded with a thrust of his own. The blond was mildless with need, his body seeking pleasure any which way it could--head thrown back, hands working back, legs and thighs moving against Trowa's body.

And then Trowa pulled back, looking down at Quatre's flushed face. The picture of wanton abandonment. "Quatre," Trowa called him back to reality, breathing heavy and hard.

The angel open his eyes, looking up at Trowa, licking his lips, his desire for the other boy quite evident in those burning eyes.

"Quatre," Trowa tried again. "I want to... "

He couldn't get the words out so instead he let his hands ghost the blond's hip, fingertips brushing against Quatre's backside. Blue eyes grew large and Quatre swallowed hard, rocking his hips into Trowa. "Yes, please, Trowa," he managed to say, his voice thick with wanting.

Trowa was frozen--hardly believing his lover had agreed. And then he was up and in the bathroom.

Quatre sat up, surprised to find himself abandoned on the bed. "Trowa?"

"Do you have anything?"

Quatre smiled, reaching for his pants and losing them before crawling up to the top of the bed. "Under the sink!" he called, arranging the pillows around him and laying out for Trowa: one leg bent up, one leg bent down against the bed, wide-spread legs forming a mis-shapened heart.

Trowa was in the doorway watching him when Quatre looked up from his pose. Both boys were breathing heavy, eyes locked, caught staring.

Quatre pressed two fingers to his lips, kissing the digits and then sucking them into his mouth; they pulled free from his lips, dragging the lower down as he began tracing an invisible line down his chin... throat... chest... stomach... to the juncture of his thighs, slipping around to trace up the underside of his swollen erection. He muffled a cry as he touched himself for Trowa.

"Trowa... please," he finally whimpered, smearing the dripple of precum with his thumb.

The taller boy was there, over him, in a heartbeat. He hesitated touching Quatre though. "Are you sure?" Trowa breathed, offering the other boy a back out.

Quatre smiled up at him, loving him more than ever before. "Very." He leaned up, kissing the gentle boy. "I've dreamed about this, Trowa." He reached over and squeezed him, his hand moving expertly over Trowa's shaft. "Every time we made love, I thought about what it would be like reversed... If it was *you* taking me and not just me taking *you*... I wanted to, Trowa... I want to... Please. Make love to me..."

The blond's words shot right through him like molten lava. He rushed the boy, lips crushing lips, hungry, devouring; hips crashing hips, forcing Quatre back into the bed with the force. "Oh, God, yes, Quatre. Anything you want," he managed to groan.

"You," the blond gasped, body moving instinctively against Trowa's. "I just want you."

"You already have me," he repeated Quatre's words to him earlier.

"Prove it. Take me, Trowa... "

Trowa pulled back, reaching blindly for the lube as he continue to kiss the blond. One handed, he uncapped the tube, the other hand guiding Quatre's hips. His hand slid down the blond's raised thigh, lifting and rearranging the limb over his shoulder. His lips kissed their way down Quatre's chest, nibbled at his stomach, before dipping lower. Trowa brought his lips to Quatre's swollen head at the same moment two lubricant-slicked fingers brushed against his nether ring. Quatre shouted; Trowa plunged his mouth around, down, swallowing him; both fingers pressed forward, entering the boy.

"TROWA!!!"

Quatre's hips jumped off the bed before slamming back down, trapped between two warring sensations of pleasure. Trowa worked the thick shaft with his mouth as he prepped the sweet ass with his fingers. Deliberately, dedicatedly, lovingly. Quatre's moans and gasps and tiny cries were sweet music to him.

"Trowa! Trowa, I'm gonna come!" Quatre cried, panting.

"Come for me, Quatre," he whispered, nuzzling the blond, tight curls before nibbling his way to the tip again.

"TROWA!"

Thick, salty cum filled Trowa's mouth and he greedily swallowed it all. Quatre's tiny, panting cries filled the hole in his soul as Trowa continued to swipe his tongue around Quatre's cock until Quatre fell back against the bed in a boneless, languid heap, panting. "Trowa... "

Trowa trailed kissed up Quatre's torso and chest until he reached Quatre's lips. "No one," Trowa breathed against those parted lips. "No one else."

"I missed you," Quatre answered, wrapping his arms around Trowa's back and shoulders. "I missed you so much!" He buried his face in Trowa's neck, breathing in the spicy, musky scent that he remembered and loved so well. "Don't leave me, Trowa... "

"Never," Trowa groaned. "I promise." He hitched Quatre's leg up higher, splitting the blond boy apart as he rubbed his penis between his fingers and Quatre's ass.

"Please!" his blue-eyed prince gasped, arching up against Trowa. "Please, Trowa--"

Two green eyes shut tight as Trowa guided his dripping penis to that tight, lube-slicked opening and pushed forward, past the tight ring of muscles. Beneath him, Quatre cried out; Trowa froze, shivering. "Quatre... ?" he gasped.

"So--Oh, Allah, Trowa!" Beneath him, Quatre moaned, his tongue darting out to sweep across Trowa's throat and up to his ear. "Please, Trowa. Make love to me... "

The cinnamon-haired youth groaned, dipping to catch Quatre's lips and kissing him furiously, his tongue sweeping into that moist cavern, deeper and deeper. Trowa's hips bucked forward, rocking Quatre's body. "Yes," he grunted, picking up a rhythm that left them both gasping and begging for more.

Trowa pulled back, dropping Quatre's leg. Quatre protested, trying to hold on to him. "Turn around, Quatre," the taller teen instructed. It took a moment before comprehension filtered into the blond's pleasured-hazed mind and he obediently rolled onto his hands and knees, flirting his ass up in the air behind him.

He looked back behind at Trowa who was still watching him. "Like this?" he asked.

Trowa groaned and dissolved the space between them. His fingers teased down Quatre's spine, curving around Quatre's ass and hips before pulling the blond boy back onto his cock. "So beautiful," he whispered, driving home within that sweet tightness.

"Trowa!" Quatre's body arched, and he thought he'd surely died and gone to some hedonists' heaven.

It was over too soon. The two reunited lovers laid spent, tangled in one another, touching, reassuring themselves of the other's presence.

"Don't ever leave me, again," Quatre demanded softly.

"Never," Trowa promised.

Quatre propped his chin up on the back of his hand, which was resting flat over Trowa's chest. "You are mine, Trowa Barton," he said, looking straight into the cinnamon-haired young man's green eyes. "I love you. All of you."

Trowa opened his mouth to reply, but Quatre shushed him with one finger pressed to the other boy's lips. "I know you think your past is something you don't think I could understand, and maybe you're right," he continued. "But know that whatever happened to you, I don't care. I don't care because it's made you into the man you are today, the man I love. Do you understand that, Trowa?"

Slowly, Trowa shook his head. "You don't understand, Quatre. You don't know--"

"It's okay," the blond boy smiled, leaning up to drop a kiss on his lover's lips. "We have the rest of our lives to discover. Now," he said, tilting his head to the side and resting it against Trowa's shoulder. "What say you we head over to my room, initiate *my* bed, and then maybe follow up with a shower?"

"'Initiate'?"

Quatre grinned and dropped another kiss against Trowa's skin. "There are a lot of rooms in this house." Trowa laughed; Quatre giggled. "It's not that far a distance. Just through that door... " Quatre looked over to one of the side doors in the room before looking back at Trowa.

Trowa was looking at him questioningly. The blond boy just shrugged. "I figured one way or another, I wasn't going to let you get away this weekend without me seducing you first, so... I had you put in the Mistress's Chambers. Easy access from the Master's Chambers... "

 

 

Heero stood at the base of the staircase staring up at the braided teen-boy who was sitting on the fifth step up, cleaning under his fingernails with a pick.

"So?" Duo asked, trying not to sound too curious. Violet eyes flicked over Heero before returning to the close scrutiny of his nails. "How did it go after I left?" With a final flick, Duo slid the tiny pick back home in the concealment of his long rope of hair. "What did he say?"

"Hn." Heero began climbing the steps, pulling Duo up when he reached him. "He needs time to think about it."

"What's to think about?" the lithe boy groused, leaning into his partner. "You? Me? It's the best of both worlds, if you ask me--"

"No one did."

"Unless he's found someone else." Both boys paused on the steps. "You... you don't think there's someone else, do you?" Duo asked hesitantly.

"No." Heero shook his head, as if trying to clear the thought that the Chinese boy might have found another person. It was still plainly obvious how much Wufei still cared for Duo. He wouldn't have... "No, Duo, I don't think so."

"Then... ?" Duo sighed as they resumed moving towards their room. "Are you really okay with this, Heero? I mean, I know you--"

Heero pulled Duo to a stop on the landing, turning the other boy to face him. "I'm sure." He pulled Duo to him, running his hands over Duo's waist and around to his back. Duo's lips pressed against his; just a small kiss, but one with a wealth of meaning for the two young men.

"I care about him, too," Heero whispered, sliding his face over Duo's until his lips rested near Duo's ear.

They made it the rest of the way to their rooms in silence. Heero carried Duo's bag into the room, dropping it near one of the sofas in the sitting room. Duo whistled, turning in a circle in the center of the room.

"Quatre gave us adjoining rooms," Heero explained, moving to press up against Duo's back. "So that when I get tired of you I can just kick you out."

Duo grinned, leaning back against Heero as the other boy wrapped his arms around Duo's middle. "I guess I just have to make sure you don't get tired of me then, huh?" In a heartbeat Duo had turned in Heero's arms, wrapping his arms around Heero's neck and holding his partner close. "Missed you," he whispered against the boy's neck, squeezing tighter.

"Me too."

"You scared the shit out of me last week." Duo continued; Heero could barely understand him. "What the hell did you think you were doing, huh?"

"Duo... ?"

"Zero was completely trashed, Heero." Duo squeezed his lover harder; his eyes squeezing tightly against the burned images of Wing Zero's remains. "There was nothing left, Heero, and... "

Heero returned Duo's death grip on his person, burying his face in the other's shoulder. "Duo... "

"I was so scared, Heero. I thought... I thought... What would I have done if I'd lost you, huh?" Duo's voice hitched. "That was a stupid move, Heero Yuy. Stupid, and reckless, and--"

"Quatre told me you almost used the self-destructs."

Duo sniffed and pulled away from Heero, swiping at his nose. "I--"

"I have no intention of dying now, Duo." Heero rubbed his thumb across cheeks. "I have too much to live for."

"Heero... "

"Why don't we take that nap you wanted?" Heero suggested, tugging on Duo's hand.

The braided teen smirked back at his partner. "I can think of a few more interesting things to do than take a nap... "

"I'm sure you can," Heero smiled, pulling Duo against his side as they made their way towards one of the two bedrooms. "And we have all tonight to implement them, but for now," Heero moved Duo to the bed and then pulled him up onto it with him. "I just want to hold you. Missed you."

Duo snuggled back against Heero's warm strength, his eyes already drooping. "Is this a new side-effect of post-tramatic-syndrome? Sappiness?" he commented, amused.

"Hn."

Duo almost laughed. Almost. Instead, he rolled over in Heero's arms and looked up into his love's face. "Have I told you how much I love you?"

"Not today, I don't think," Heero answered, brushing aside one of Duo's long bangs, pushing it back towards an ear.

 "I love you," Duo replied, popping a small kiss on Heero's lips. "In oh so many ways."

"Ashiteru, Duo," Heero returned, unconsciously stroking the silky end of Duo's braid, long after both boys slipped into unconsciousness.

 

 

"Mariemeia? Are you almost ready?" Anne called out, rapping thrice on the door before entering the private suites of Trieze Khushrenada's daughter.

"I am fine, Lady Une," a small, light voice answered out of the darkness.

Anne stepped farther into the room, allowing the door to slip shut behind her, stealing away the light. "Mariemeia?" she called out gently, trying to locate the small child. "I told you, you may call me 'Anne'."

"Lady Une?" a movement near the window. "Do you think they will all hate me?"

Anne frowned, searching for the sensory pad along the wall. "No one hates you, Mariemeia."

"But I tried to hurt them."

Anne's fingers brushed over what she was searching for and a soft glow began to fill the room. As she thought, Mariemeia was near the large windows, looking out. Anne smiled at how pretty the child looked in the blue dress Dorothy had brought over that morning; and the maid had done a remarkable job on the child's glorious red tresses, smoothed them out, added a small curl. She looked like the beautiful young lady she was.

'Treize's daughter... '

"Mariemeia... "

The child's face turned towards the older woman with a look of such sadness that tears wavered in those blue eyes. "Do I have to go, Lady Une?" she asked, her voice quivering noticeably.

Anne forced her resolve to steel. "Yes, Mariemeia." But almost at once, she softened. "Do not worry, Marie--" Anne swallowed and crossed the room. "We will be among friends tonight. No one will hurt you or hate you."

Mariemeia looked down at her hands in her lap as Lady Une began to roll the wheelchair from the room.

 

 

Since technically it was Quatre's party, the blond Winner master felt obligated to be downstairs--dressed and presentable--when his guests began to arrive. Trowa, although not thrilled with the necessity to leave their bed, was loathed to leave the blond teen's side and thus hoisted himself up out of bed and into a shower--which took longer than normal due to irresistible distractions. Downstairs, looking fresh and glowing in their black and white tuxes, glitter-studded masks in hand, both young men were ready and waiting when the first guests arrived.

"Master Quatre, my men are running security checks now," Rashid began the minute he walked into the meeting room where Quatre and Trowa were sitting and talking quietly in. The giant man looked even more imposing in his dark tuxedo.

Both boys looked up at the soldier's entrance. "Rashid," Quatre laughed and shook his head. "This is a party, not a mission. Please, make sure you have a good time tonight. WEI has its own security personal working to ensure everyone's safety tonight."

"Well, then I would think about getting some new people," Abdul replied, walking in right behind his leader with a printout in hand. His permanently there sunglasses slipped down his nose as he looked over at the blond. "Horrible, horrible," he said handing the paper to Quatre and sliding the dark shades up. "You should have called on us."

"I want you all to relax and have a good time tonight," Quatre returned, glancing over the paper. "Who was working North point?"

Abdul grinned as he dropped into one of the sofas. "Your people or ours?"

"Hello, Master Trowa," Rashid greeted the slim teen with a nod of his heavy head while Abdul and Quatre discussed security matters. "It is good to see you again."

"Hello, Rashid," Trowa smiled at the larger man. "I see you haven't changed any."

"But you have. You've filled out, Master Trowa." Rashid grinned. "One day you might get as big as me!"

Quatre heard the last and laughed. "I hope not! Then I'll *really* feel small!"

"You're not small," Trowa smiled, taking Quatre's hand up in his. "You just haven't hit your growth spurt yet."

"Sir?" A servant appeared in the doorway, looking expectantly. "You asked to be informed when the first guest's vehicle pulled into the drive?"

"Yes," Quatre stood. "Thank you." The blond turned to his two friends. "Please try to remember this a party?" he asked, tugging on Trowa's hand. "I want you to have a good time tonight. Take that as an order if you need to."

Abdul laughed and saluted. "Yes, sir!"

It turned out to be some business associates, followed by prominent families, governmental officials, a couple ambassadors, and friends of the family. All included, nearly one thousand people were expected to converge upon the Winner Estate before the end of the night. It was already after eleven before the majority of everyone who was coming had arrived.

Somewhere, during the dragging hours unto midnight, Quatre had caught a glimpse of Heero and Duo among the throng of guests, but not Wufei. Now, freed from his immediate duties as host, he and Trowa set out in search of the three other pilots.

"Well, don't *you* look sharp?"

Quatre smiled as Duo all of a sudden appeared in front of them. "I could say the same to you!" he teased, taking in the other's new look: long hair pulled back at the nape, held there with a dark velvet ribbon; a chic black suit with a dark amethyst stud at his throat. "Having a good time?"

"Oh, just swell," the longhaired youth replied grinning. "The food's really great."

"Good, I'm glad to hear it," Quatre laughed. "Have you seen Wufei or Heero, by chance?"

"Heero's--"

"Right behind you," a nasal voice interrupted, surprising Quatre.

"Heero."

"Trowa."

Duo rolled his eyes. "Oh, no. None of that tonight!" He pushed between Quatre and Trowa to poke Heero in his side. "Complete sentences tonight, you promised me."

"Hn." But the Japanese boy's lips were twitching.

"That goes for you, too," Quatre turned on Trowa, leaning up against him familiarly.

Trowa's arm wrapped around Quatre and held him there. "As you wish."

"Oooh," Duo cooed. "I *like* that one." He bumped into Heero playfully.

"So do I," his mocha-haired lover smirked. "You should say it more often."

Duo's jaw dropped. Quatre giggled. Trowa looked away in an attempt to hide his own smile.

"Have any of you seen Wufei?" Heero asked, turning his attention to the other two. "I looked around in all the rooms but I haven't been able to find him yet."

"I can ask one of the servants," Quatre suggested, looking around for one of the navy blue-and-gold liveries amongst the colorfully dressed guests. "Have you seen Chang Wufei?" he asked, catching one servant's arm in passing.

"Sir?"

"One of the four young men who arrived earlier today?" Quatre tried to explain but the young man clearly had no idea.

"You don't think he took off, do you?" Duo asked, nervously biting on his lip as he looked over to Heero. His lover only gave him a short jerk of his head in reply, dismissing the suggestion without thought.

"Wufei would have at least said goodbye before leaving," Quatre mewed, skewering up his lips as he thought of where the Chinese member of their quintet could be.

Heero and Trowa's frowns deepened.

"Is there something wrong, young masters?"

Five heads snapped up, and up, as they all looked at Rashid.

"Rashid?" Quatre was first to ask. "Have you or one of your men seen Wufei?"

The dark-haired giant nodded and smiled, glad to be of service. "Master Chang is out in the gardens. He has been there since we arrived."

The four sleek-dressed pilots looked at each other. "The gardens."

"Thank you, Rashid," Quatre said to his friend and protector. "We appreciate your help."

"Of course, Master Quatre."

"Should we all go after him?" Duo asked the others as they turned back to each other.

"Are you going to bring him in for questioning?" Heero teased.

Quatre looked from Trowa, to Heero, and then to Duo. "I *did* want to talk to all of you, privately... "

"The gardens should be private enough," Trowa pointed out.

"And probably a lot cooler, not to mention quieter," Duo added.

"Agreed." Heero nodded shortly to emphasize his consent.

"Okay, then," Quatre said, swaying towards one of the glass doors that led outside. "Let's go track down Wufei and have that talk."

 

 

"Yes, Senator Geer, I understand perfectly where you are coming from," Relena replied, smiling and nodding at the prematurely balding middle-aged man who was quickly toppling her nerves for the evening.

"But, Miss Relena, I don't think you are--"

"Excuse me, Vice Minister?" a formidable icy blonde young woman, known to many as the Vice Minister's attaché and to even more as the former Duke Dormail's granddaughter, broke through, stepping between Senator Geer and the young Vice Minister. "Your presence is required," Dorothy said, bowing her head almost meek-like.

Relena shot her companion an appreciative look before smiling apologetically towards the senator. "Please, excuse me, Senator Geer. Perhaps we can continue this conversation at another time. I'm sure you understand," she managed to get out before Dorothy had pulled her completely away from the man.

"Of course, of course," followed her departure.

Dorothy's hand, locked around Relena's wrist in a vise-like grip, guided her through the small cliques of humanity, weaving her in one door and out another with smooth precision.

"Not so fast, Dory," the smaller girl protested, trying to skip to keep up. "I have no desire to rush into another conversation with some old, close-minded, hard-of-hearing fool!" she hissed.

Not stopping for anyone, Dorothy twirled the honey-wheat-haired girl ahead of her into another room and pulled the door shut tight behind her. "There are too many old, deaf farts in the government," the blonde teen said, smiling down her chest as she leaned back against the closed door. "They should all be lined up and shot."

Dorothy pushed away from the door and headed for a small but respectable bar lining one wall. She smiled as she waited for the expected reaction from her companion as she poured both herself and Relena a drink. She didn't have to wait long.

"DOROTHY!"

The blonde young woman turned towards the young diplomat, smiling, with a glass held out. "Yes?" she sang-sung sweetly, handing the glass to the honey-wheat-haired girl with the red-glowing face.

"You. Are. Terrible," Relena managed to reply before laughing light-heartedly and dropping into an empty chair. She took a moment to regain her wits about her, studying the room they were in with glazed eyes as the other girl found a seat for herself. 'A music room,' Relena smiled. 'Why am I not surprised, Quatre?'

Relena sighed and turned her gaze back to her lap. "Oh, Dorothy... Am I so insane?"

"Incredibly." Dorothy took a sip from her tumbler.

"Is it so wrong to think we should be open to exploring a new world outside our sphere?" Relena asked, studying her own crystal tumbler.

"You should be titled a heretic and tossed off-world."

Relena paused, her drink mid-way to her lips, and *looked* at the other girl. "You're making fun of me now," she accused before taking a sip of her drink... and proceeding to cough her lungs out. "Agh! What *is* this?"

The blonde young woman took another sip of her own drink and sighed with appreciation. "Aah, excellent spirits. We should visit Quatre more often, Relena," Dorothy replied, studying her crystal against the chandelier's glow. "Don't worry about the Mars Colony Project, Relena-sama. They'll see why it is important soon enough."

"We can hope," the honey-wheat girl mumbled.

"We can *know*," Dorothy insisted, catching Relena's sad blue eyes and holding them to her. "Relax, Relena. I know you're just worried about Zechs and Noin, and you shouldn't be. You and I both know they will be fine."

"I know, I know," the other girl sighed, looking away. "They can take care of themselves."

"Exactly," the blonde woman answered with a definite nod of the head. "The Mars Terra-Formation Project will be good for them, and they for it."

"I know you're right... it's just that... " The younger blonde seemed to curl into herself.

Dorothy sat up and leaned forward, pressing, "Just what, Relena?"

"I wanted to meet him, Dory," one of the most powerful persons in the entire World Sphere whispered brokenly, like a lost child. "I wanted to get to know my brother... " She buried her chin in her chest and didn't even bother to hide the tears that slowly slipped down her cheeks.

"Relena... " She reached out, but reigned herself back. Relena had never broken down in front of her before. She didn't know what to do for the other girl, and she hurt for her.

"It seems like every time I think I might get the chance to know him," Relena cried softly, sniffling, "something bad happens, and he goes away. I mean, is it so wrong to just want to spend some time with my own family?" Tear-shimmering blue eyes looked up at Dorothy, piercing through the blonde's own distanced shield. "Is it so unreasonable to wonder what he's like? What his likes and dislikes are? I hardly know him at all!"

Dorothy licked her dry lips and cleared her throat, willing herself to not lose control of her own emotions. "Well," she began, calmly, reasonably. "What would you like to know about him?"

Relena looked at her companion; hurt disbelief pulling at her face. "Didn't I just tell you? I want to know everything!"

"That's a tall order," Dorothy replied, amused, as her mind rushed to calculate a way to fulfill the other girl's wish. "Tell you what," she said, standing up from her chair. "If you are so insistent on learning about Zechs Marquise, I'll do some digging and find out everything I can for you."

The honey-haired girl's blue eyes widened with guarded hope. "How will you do that?"

"I have my ways," the tall blonde girl smirked, crossing the short distance between their chairs until she stood over Relena. "Don't worry about it, Relena. That's my job."

"Speaking of job," the honey-haired youth sighed, pushing up out of her comfortable chair.

"Ant! Stay right where you are," Dorothy ordered, pushing against the Vice Minister's shoulders. "It's New Year's Eve, Relena-sama. Put the Vice Minister of State to bed and come out and play," she whispered in her ear.

"Oh, but, Dorothy--"

"Come on," she teased, hands sliding down Relena's arms to twindle with her hands and fingers. "I can hear music. Maybe we can find some cute young men at this party who'll be willing to ask us to dance!"

Dorothy was tugging her away from the room before Relena could even hope to protest.

 

 

She was tired and grumpy and felt like everybody was staring at her and whispering about her.

Tucked away as unobtrusively as possible near one of the large pillars, Mariemeia Khushrenada sat in her wheelchair, trying not to meet anyone's gaze least they decide to come over and talk to her. That would be worse, she was sure.

Her plight was already bad enough, she knew, with everyone staring at her, whispering about her, wondering if it was true, *she* was the stupid little kid who thought she was going to rule the entire Earth Sphere; if it was true, that her own grandfather, the man who had raised her since she was a little baby, had shot at and tried to kill her. If it was true that someone as noble and wise and just as Trieze Khushrenada could spawn such an evil child as she. She knew that's what they were all thinking and talking about when they looked at her before whispering behind their hands to one of their neighbors.

She shifted in her chair, uncomfortable with being trapped in its confines; uncomfortable being trapped in the stupid, frilly dress Lady Une had given her; uncomfortable being trapped where so many mean, hateful people could see her weakness...

Lady Une had left her here as the woman went off in search of refreshments for herself and Mariemeia. Dr. Po, who had accompanied them here, had been pulled away to talk to some of the guests. Mariemeia could only assume someone had caught Lady Une as well and that's why it was taking the woman so long to return. Mariemeia wished she could just crawl away and hide--but she couldn't, not while she was still in this stupid wheelchair.

Lady Une had told her Wufei would be here tonight--that all the gundam pilots would be here tonight. That was why Mariemeia hadn't fought the woman when she told her she was expected to attend tonight's affair. She didn't want to come and have all these people staring at her... but she *did* want to see Wufei again. She wanted to see all the gundam pilots. Before they left their transport, Lady Une had informed her that the man who was hosting this party tonight, the pretty blond boy, Quatre Raberba Winner, was a gundam pilot, too. Just like her Wufei.

When she had met Wufei for the first time, she was surprised by how young he was. He couldn't have been so much older than herself, she'd thought. He looked twelve or thirteen to her young eyes, not the sixteen years he'd confessed to being. She had wanted to talk to him, to ask him questions about himself, about the other gundam pilots... Dekim hardly ever left her alone with him, however.

Tonight, meeting Quatre Winner was another shock. She had never thought of any of the gundam pilots being important people like she or her father or Miss Relena. But this was Quatre Raberba Winner. She knew of him. He was an important person. He was head of Winner Enterprises--one of her grandfather's rivals. *He* was a gundam pilot, like Wufei?

And the other young man, standing with Mr. Winner... Lady Une seemed surprised to see him there in the receiving line with Quatre. He had kind eyes, she thought. He had knelt down next to her chair when they came together in line, and he had smiled at her.

"Hello, Mariemeia," he had said. She liked his voice--it was soft and, she thought, sweet. "I am known as Trowa Barton." When she gasped, he continued to smile, and he told her, "We should talk, later, when this is over."

"I would like that," she had managed to respond before Lady Une ushered her past the two young men and into a large, decorated ballroom.

"He is one, too," Lady Une had whispered to her.

Trowa... Barton... He is a gundam pilot. Like Wufei, and Heero, and Quatre Raberba Winner. She wanted to see them again; to meet with them, talk with them, but she hadn't even spotted the blond boy and the tall young man in the hours that had already passed.

"Here is some punch, Mariemeia."

The girl started, seeming to jump up from her chair. She stared at the cup held out to her before accepting it and looking up at the woman who had brought it. "Will we be staying very much longer?" she asked, trying to sound polite as her gran--as Dekim had instructed her.

"Mmn," Lady Une replied, swallowing her own punch. "Quatre has graciously assigned us a room we may spend the night in," she answered, studying the crush of people in the room. "We will leave tomorrow."

"Oh." Mariemeia studied the cup in her hands, noting how the pinkish-red liquid sloshed from side-to-side.

Anne's attention snapped to the child with that monosyllable response and a frown creased her face. "Would you like to retire now, Mariemeia?" she asked, noting the child's drawn face and composure. The child looked up at her and Anne couldn't help but see the spark of pleading hope in those blue eyes.

'Treize-sama, I have no clue of how to care for a child. I'm doing this all wrong!'

"Come, Mariemeia," Anne said, taking up position behind the chair. "Let us find that room Quatre has been so generous to share with us."

 

 

The four young men made their way out the French doors and into the garden with little notice. The night air was crisp with winter's ice. Fountains that would normally be bubbling with life in the spring, summer, or fall, were now silent in reverence to winter's reign. Shrubs and flowers that would be smiling were shriveled away, their roots sleeping deep within the frozen earth. The stone slabs clacked smartly with each booted-heeled-step; the echo reaching out past them into the night.

"I am over here."

The calm, quiet voice rang out in the silent garden like a shout, drawing all their attentions to an almost overlooked alcove. Four as one, they turned towards the separated section. They stopped just inside.

"I thought of leaving," the Chinese youth admitted, sitting on the cold earth, back braced against a stone pillar that was part of the main house's walk. His knees were bent, elbows resting on them, forearms crossed over each other, dark hair left loose to fall around his face as stared at the dry fountain in front of him.

Wufei tilted his head against one arm and looked at the four other gundam pilots, his face expressionless. "I decided not to."

"Good," Duo was first to speak up, pushing past Heero and Trowa. "'Cause, you know, this time, we wouldn't've let you get away with it."

The longhaired pilot came to stand right in front of Wufei and cursed. "What the hell you trying to do? Freeze yourself to death?" he accused, slipping out of his coat jacket when he noticed the other boy's shivering.

"Keep it," Heero ordered, dropping his own jacket over Wufei's shoulders.

"I'm used to the cold," Wufei protested, trying to shove out of the warm material that carried Heero's sent.

"Leave it on," the Japanese boy growled, eyeing Wufei until the other teen relented.

"We came to talk," Quatre hastened, stepping up besides Duo, Trowa at his other side. "We need to talk."

Wufei nodded. "Fine. Talk."

"I think we should get you inside first," Duo frowned.

"I am fine," Wufei protested. "We can talk here."

"Hn." Without more than a grunt of warning, Heero dropped down next to Wufei and dragged the startled teen to him.

"Wha--wai--what do you think you are--"

"Talk," Heero ordered, looking up at Quatre, noting Duo's smirk from the corner of his eye.

"Wait a minute--!" Wufei shouted, trying to climb free of Heero.

"I'd calm down if I were you," Duo piped up, trying his damnedest to swallow his laughter. "Or else I'm gonna have to just sit on you to keep ya still."

The Chinese boy froze. "What have I done to deserve this?" he asked rhetorically.

"You upped and deserted us, that's what," Duo shot back, crossing his arms and rocking back on his feet.

Wufei's chin dropped, all resistance melting away from his body. "I understand," a small voice answered.

Heero shot a glare towards Duo; Duo stared in shock at the fire man he'd come to know and respect and miss. "Wufei... " He dropped to his knees before his lover and the Chinese teen. "Fei... " One hand reached out of its own accord, fingers brushing over one chilled cheek, titling Wufei's face up until he could look into it. "I'm sorry, Fei. I was joking. I didn't mean... "

Duo fell to the other side of Wufei, effectively sandwiching the Chinese youth between himself and Heero. "I'm sorry, Wufei. I didn't mean it."

"But it is the truth," Wufei whispered, shivering between the two warm bodies. "I did desert you. I left. I didn't believe in the Peace we had fought for, and I helped try to destroy it."

"But you helped us in the end," Quatre interjected, stepping forward. "I saw you there, Wufei. If you had truly not believed in Peace, you wouldn't have stopped fighting like you did."

Wufei chose not to reply and instead buried his chin farther in his chest.

"Whatever the case may have been," Trowa added, closing in next to Quatre, "It is over with."

"Hai." Heero looked up at Quatre. "You called us together for a reason."

The blond young man nodded before dropping to the ground across from the three pilots. Quatre looked up at Trowa, waiting until the last teen had taken a spot of ground beside him before entwining their fingers together in his lap. With a deep sigh, Quatre began.

"Guys, I've been a little confused about something--No, a lot confused, actually. I don't understand. I thought we were friends, but when the war ended, you all just left--and we never kept in touch. I felt horrible. Maybe it makes me weak, but I don't care. I consider you all more than just friends. I consider you a part of my family."

"Don't you have enough family, Q-man?" Duo teased, earning a sharp yank of the ponytail.

"It's more than just family. I--I--I love you guys," the blond admitted, blushing. "You're very special to me and--and--I don't want to lose you. Any of you."

"What are you hoping for?" Duo asked, pulling his hair to safety. "A group orgy?" Beside him, he could feel Wufei stiffen.

"I'm not kidding around, Duo!" Quatre cried, his face scrounging up into an angry pout.

"I know you're not, man," the longhaired teen sighed, stretching his legs out in front of him. "I'm sorry. The truth is, I feel the same way. Every chance at a family I've ever had was either killed or taken away from me, and--and--I saw the same thing happening with us. Only, we didn't die... we just walked away from each other. And it hurt. It hurt a lot. Cause, the truth is, I love you guys, too."

Duo stared at his fingers--which were playing with the loose stands of his hair--while he let that statement sink in.

"So what do you suggest we do?" Quatre asked, turning to the other three silent members of their little group. "Can we work something out?"

"What do you want us to do, Quatre?" Duo shouted, dropping his hair and staring at the blond. "Move in together and be roomies?"

"I don't want or need your charity, Quatre," Wufei replied, his voice hardly a whisper.

"It's not charity!" the blond shouted, rocking with the force of his emotions. "Anything of mine is yours. Don't you understand? There is no charity between family, Wufei, and to me, you're family.

"No. I don't understand," Heero answered. "I have never had a family. The only thing I understand is getting something for something. Actions and consequences, that's what I understand."

"'Actions and consequences'? Okay, fine." Quatre sat up on his knees. "The action is, you and Duo and Wufei hang around for a while. We can discover the consequences together. How's that sound? It can be like an experiment." He waited, breath held, burning in his chest.

Duo raised a fisted hand to his grinning lips. "Five teenaged boys living in one mansion together for a year," he 'reported.' "Each comes from a different background; each possesses a radically different personality. Will they survive? Or will they kill each other before the year is over? Stay tuned to find out!"

On the other side of Wufei, Heero snorted, smiling, as well. "Hn. Baka."

Duo waved his 'microphone' away. "Whatever, man. Look, I'm in, Q-man. I have a couple of courses I'm taking at the U, but I can easily transfer 'em to correspondence. And Hilde's pretty sharp; she's running shop by herself now, anyway. Miramar's up and running now, too, so show me to my room! Shinigami's movin' in!"

Quatre nodded and turned to the Chinese boy next to Duo. "What about you, Wufei?"

Wufei looked up at the night sky, as if asking for guidance. And then his face fell down to meet Quatre's. "I'll stay for a little bit," he answered finally. "Sally Po has asked me to join their Preventer Organization. I have agreed."

"A Preventer, huh?" Duo nudged Wufei. "I've heard a bit about 'em... You'll have to tell me about it some."

"I am not the one to talk to," Wufei answered, pulling away from Duo--which only landed him practically in Heero's lap. This was a set-up, he was sure.

"What if you're the one I want to talk to?" the longhaired boy countered playfully, before turning serious. "Listen, Wu-man, you and I both know we gotta talk... " Violet eyes bore into deep onyx. A heartbeat later, Wufei relented and nodded.

"Heero?" Quatre asked, turning to the last unaccountable in his schema.

"I told you before," the Japanese pilot answered, looking at the blond with hooded eyes. "My home is wherever Duo is."

Quatre nodded.

"Auh, did you *really* say that about me, Hee-chan?" Duo grinned, looking around Wufei towards his lover.

"Baka," Heero answered, though he couldn't quite hide the small twitching of his lips.

"Yeah, I love ya too," the longhaired boy replied, leaning back as both Quatre and Trowa climbed to their feet. "What about you, Trowa? You gonna stick around for a while, too?"

The mini-giant of a youth nodded. "I have some things to take care of first, but I will be staying here as well."

"Cool, me too. Hey, listen," Duo went on before anyone else could. "Heero has the jet because of his oh-so-important job protecting miss princess's innocent little backside, so do you think you could hitch me a ride into L2 when you go back? There're some things I'll like to close up, too, before I get all settled into domestic bliss."

Trowa stared at him for a moment, green eyes flickering to Heero before darting back onto Duo again, before he nodded. "Of course. It would be nice not to have to fly by myself."

"And you can take one of my jets if you don't already have one of your own," Quatre added, snuggling up closer to Trowa. "We have to go back in now, but I'm glad we could have this talk. If we don't see you again tonight, we'll see you in the morning."

"All right, Q-man," Duo waved the two off. "See ya then!"

 

 

As they left the other three pilots, Quatre led Trowa along the round-about, 'scenic route' back to the party, strolling, hand-in-hand, along the house walk.

"I'm happy," the blond said simply.

"I'm glad," Trowa replied, content to be with his shining prince like this forever.

Quatre stopped and turned towards one of the outer overhangs. "You know, it might have been selfish and fool-hearted of me, but," he turned and looked up at his returned lover. "If Heero hadn't told me this afternoon that he and Duo intended to bring Wufei into their relationship... I would have tried to bring him into ours."

Trowa didn't say anything for a moment, as he stood studying the young man in front of him. "A... three-way relationship... ?" he asked, cautiously.

Quatre turned away, looking out over the moonlight-bathed garden. "I had considered it, yes." He looked down, pulling his resolve together, before looking back up at Trowa. "I didn't want him to be lonely again. I didn't want him to have to watch Heero and Duo be together, watch us be together, and feel left out," he tried to explain. "I think that's one of the reasons we lost him. We forced him away."

Trowa looked down, away from Quatre's bright moon-shining eyes. "Is that something that interests you?" he asked slowly. "A... threesome?"

Quatre threaded his fingers into Trowa's, pulling the taller boy around to face him, holding his own back to the garden; slowly, he drew the other boy to him. "*You* interest me," he countered, smiling up into Trowa's face. "The others interest me, yes." He tilted his face up, lips hovering scant inches below Trowa's. "But not as much as you do."

"Quatre," the green-eyed teen breathed, wanting to taste those lips.

"Master Quatre."

They pulled away, turning together to face Rashid.

"Forgive me for interrupting," the great, bearded man continued, grinning as he moved completely out of one of the French doors, "but the countdown is in two minutes and your guests will expect to see you."

"Of course, thank you," Quatre coughed, smiling at his friend. "We'll be there in just a moment."

The dark-haired man bowed briefly before retreating back into the warm indoors. The blond youth looked up into his lover's face before giggling. "Save me a kiss for midnight?"

"In front of everybody?" Trowa asked, one brow quirked.

Quatre leaned forward, wrapping his arms around Trowa and holding the other boy close. "I don't care if you don't," he answered softly. "I love you, Trowa. I'm not ashamed of it, or embarrassed by it. I don't care if the entire universe knows it."

"Quatre... "

 

 

Silence.

They listened to the retreating pair of footsteps until all that was left was the wispy rasp of their own breathing. The minutes stretched into long, drawn out heartbeats as each boy wallowed in their own pool of thoughts.

"Hilde will probably be glad that we're leaving," Duo said into the silence.

"Hn."

"Is there anything you need to take care of, Wufei?"

The Chinese boy was silent, and for a minute there, Duo wondered if the other boy had fallen asleep, but, then, the ebony-haired youth whispered, "I have nothing."

Duo frowned, squirming around until he could wrap his arms around the other teen, holding him tight. "You have us, Fei. Whether you want us or not."

Fingers threaded through his hair, and an already stunned Wufei turned and saw the fingers belonged to Heero.

"Hai," the Japanese youth responded.

"Why?" Wufei asked, choking over the one word, blinking furiously at the cold, burning tears that stung his eyes.

"Love you," Duo muffled against Heero's jacket, which the ebony-haired boy still wore. "Didn't ya listen to us this afternoon?"

"Wufei... "

Chilled fingers brushed his cheek and Wufei's breath began tearing at his lungs. What were they trying to do to him?

Shouting from inside the mansion caught their attention. "Ten... Nine... Eight... Seven... "

"Wufei." Duo's hand slipped up the Chinese boy's face and turned it back towards him.

"Five... Four... Three... "

He sat a little bit up...

And pressed his lips to the other young man's. Wufei gasped; Duo took advantage and pressed his tongue between those parted lips, moving against Wufei's tongue, persuading the muscle from his mouth and into Duo's, where he could suck on it. Wufei growled as he quickly took over the kiss, thrusting his tongue into the vortex of Duo's mouth, advancing on the longhaired boy until a gentle, coaxing hand on his neck pulled him back from the hormonal haze.

He pulled away from Duo within an instant, breath gasping, dark eyes blinking with shock and confusion. "I--" Duo was smiling at him, and then his face was turned away and his mind had a split second to recognize Heero's face before his mouth was assaulted again by another pair of lips.

Heero didn't even allow the other pilot a chance to gain supremacy over the kiss, his tongue thrusting past Wufei's lips and sweeping along the moist cavern of his mount until the Chinese youth was moaning against Heero's onslaught. He was in a haze when the Japanese boy finally withdrew.

"Happy New Year's, Fei-kun," Duo teased, twirling a dark strand of silken hair around one finger.

"You're both mad," Wufei gasped, struggling to regain his composure.

Duo continued to grin at him. "Of course we are!"

"This is insane!" he shouted, pushing away from both of them and scrubbing his face with the heel of his palms. "Normal people don't go around engaging in three-way relationships! It's not natural!"

"Well, it's a good thing we're not normal then, huh?" Duo answered, starting to get a little angry as he folded his arms over his chest and stared at the other pilot.

Wufei whirled on the two still-sitting boys. "Do you even *understand* what you are suggesting?" he shouted at them.

Duo got up on his knees and crawled over to the raving teen. Wrapping his arms around Wufei's waist, he buried his face in the other boy's shirt. "What do we have to do to convince you how serious we are about this?" he responded gently. "Wufei... " He looked up the teen's chest, to his face. "We're not guaranteeing this will work. We just... want to... try." Gently, he began drawing the other teen down to the ground again. "That's all we're asking for: a chance to try. Maybe it will work."

Wufei dropped to knees before Duo. "Maybe it won't."

"But at least we'll have tried." Duo's thumbs brushed over Wufei's cheeks.

Wufei's hands came up to cup under Duo's arms. "What do you want me to do?" he asked faintly, his warm breath freezing on the in between them.

"Just keep an open heart and an open mind," Duo replied, leaning in to kiss him.

Watching from behind, Heero smiled. He had known Duo would be able to persuade the other pilot

 

 

The next morning found the five young men reunited at a rather spacious wrought iron patio table seating inside the large, glass enclosed patio that over looked a retired-for-the-winter swimming pool and gardens. With large mugs full of scalding coffee, tea, and cocoa, the five were discussing their plans for their immediate future when Anne and her young ward exited the main house.

"Goodmorning!" Quatre called out cheerfully to them, standing up and waving them over. "Please, join us, Lady Une, Mariemeia. How are you this morning? I trust you had a pleasant night's rest?"

"Good morning, Quatre-sama," Anne replied, politely cutting off any further questions. "The rooms were more than adequate. We thank you for your hospitality," she continued, wheeling Mariemeia's chair up to the table to greet the other pilots.

"No trouble at all," Quatre answered, motioning for a servant. "Can I interest you both in breakfast?"

"We don't mean to intrude," she began.

"If you were intruding," Wufei cut in, "you would not have been invited to sit with us, woman." He lifted his coffee to his lips without fanfare, already having burnt his tongue on the scalding liquid.

Anne's knuckles whitened around their grip on Mariemeia's chair. "I will kindly remind you that I am your superior officer, Chang Wufei," the Lady replied, her voice hard as nails.

"And you are still an irrational woman," Wufei returned. "The man has asked you to sit at his table. Will you refuse him in his own home?"

"Wufei--" Quatre began, but Anne raised her hand to steer his protests off.

"Are you always going to be this ornery, Chang?" she questioned.

"Oh, you should see him when he *first* wakes up," a fourth voice put in from behind the group as Sally Po exited the main house and joined them. "Good morning all," the woman greeted all, coming up behind Anne and wrapping her arms around the other woman's middle for a quick hug before pulling away to stand beside the shorter woman. "Quatre, Trowa, great party last night. Marie? Did you sleep well? Any pain?"

"No, Dr. Po. I slept fine," the redheaded girl answered dutifully, her eyes never leaving the group of men seated at the table.

She had spotted the table with the five young men immediately, even without Quatre's greeting. She had been delighted to see that not only was Wufei there, but so was the man from last night, and the other man, Heero Yuy. As well as a fifth man who she hadn't met yet, but had a very good idea who he was...

The other man had long hair that was pulled back in a braid that hung down his back--she couldn't see how long it was, though. He had been diligently shoving food into his mouth when they had arrived, but now he sat back and was watching them, watching *her*, his lips twitching as if he had something to say but was biting his tongue to keep from saying it. She knew that feeling well. In light of the company he was keeping, Mariemeia couldn't help but wonder if this was her missing gundam pilot.

"Heero, Duo, Trowa, it's good to see you again," Dr. Po was saying as she moved two chairs out of the way, making room for Mariemeia's ungainly wheelchair.

"Mariemeia?" Quatre asked, taking his own seat as the two women sat down as well. "What would you like to eat for breakfast? Our cooks here are very good and will make you anything you like."

"I recommend the pancakes," the longhaired boy spoke up, his voice sounding like fun and laughter. "Though, the waffles are pretty good, too," he added, spearing a chunk of syrup-drenched waffle and sticking it in his mouth with a grunt of pleasure.

"You would eat anything," Wufei snorted.

"See how mean he is to me," Duo asked Mariemeia, all the time grinning. "I think he just likes to be grumpy." He winked at the girl, gaining a small giggle for his efforts and then proffered his fork with a piece of waffle on the end. "Here, wanna a bite?"

The child nodded with enthusiasm, leaning forward just enough to only slightly aggravate the healing wound in her chest and still put her within distance of the offered morsel. Agreeably, Duo leaned the rest of the way across the table. "Good, huh?"

Mariemeia nodded and smiled for him as the sugary-sweet confection practically melted in her mouth. Her gra--Dekim had never allowed her to eat such things. He always said they were bad for her, and her servants had been too scared of him to disobey and sneak her something yummy.

"Now," Duo was saying with extravagance. "The next important decision is drink. You have your choice of apple juice, orange juice, grapefruit juice or grape juice or just fruit juice in general. *Or* you can go with the classic... hot chocolate with extra whip cream and powdered chocolate on top," he said, holding up his own mug with flourish.

"Yes, please," she answered softly, tucking her face away towards her lap to hide her laughter.

"And another for me, while you're at it," Duo said to the waiter who was listening attentively for their requests. The young man nodded before turning to the two women. "What do you girls want?" Duo asked for the young man.

"I don't suppose you'd have any honey wheat toast with some apricot preserves, would you?" Sally asked hopefully.

"I can check for you, ma'am," the waiter replied. "And for you?"

"Just some black tea, please," Anne replied.

"I'll have some tea, too," Sally added before the waiter left.

"You're not going to eat something?" Quatre frowned.

"I'm not a very big breakfast eater, no, thank you," the Lady answered, fooling with her napkin before folding her hands in her lap.

"There is something you wish to talk to us about," Towa said, twining his fingers through Quatre's beneath the table.

"There was, yes. There is," Anne corrected herself, smiling towards the tall young man.

"Well, now's the time to talk to us, while we're all in one place," Duo told her, grinning as he leaned back in his chair and stretched like a cat.

 

 

That night, Heero watched as Duo packed a small duffle bag.

"I'll get some of the kids to pack up our stuff back at the apartment," the braid-headed pilot was saying. "Unless you just want me to let someone else have it?"

"Whatever you decide is fine," Heero answered, his fingers playing with one of Duo's shirts.

"And I thought, since it's probably a good bet we won't be moving back to Miramar, we probably want to turn the apartment over to someone else. Kelsey's nephew just got married and she mentioned they were looking into finding their own place to start out from."

"That's fine." Heero shifted on the bed.

"Sections Four and Six still aren't finished, yet," Duo continued, "but they don't need me around to get 'em done. And I talked to Alexia before coming here. She's agreed to run the orphanage. I have Concetta and Aaron working to make sure she has whatever she needs."

"They'll see to it."

"I know." Duo sighed and dropped down onto the bed beside his lover. "I wish I didn't feel like I have to go."

Heero sat up and pulled Duo down next to him, wrapping his arms around the other boy. "I understand."

"Hmphf." Duo turned in Heero's arms, burying his face in his lover's throat and wrapping his arms around him. "Gonna miss me?"

"Every second we're apart," the other boy answered, rolling unto his back and tilting his head back, exposing his throat for Duo.

Duo growled, attacking the skin with his lips. "Good answer."

"Gonna miss me?" Heero returned.

The longhaired boy moved his body against the coffee-haired boy's. "With every breath of my body," he murmured, licking a path towards Heero's ear, which he promptly began nibbling on. Beneath him, Heero moaned.

"Better answer," Heero acknowledge, spreading his legs and thrusting his pelvis up. Both boys's groans melded together. "Want you."

"Want you, too." Duo bit down gently on Heero's earlobe before growling, "Inside me."

Heero answered with a moan, moving to take Duo's mouth with his own. One hand sneaked into Duo's pants, cupping his ass, as he continued to ravish the longhaired boy's mouth with his tongue.

Duo wormed one hand between their bodies and deftly undid the fastenings on first his own pants and then Heero's jeans, his fingers reaching in for their reward, slipping around his lover's hard shaft and squeezing. In reply, Heero's fingers began stroking Duo's cleft, dipping farther with each stroke until they brushed repetitively over Duo's entrance.

"Lube, lube, lube," Duo hissed when Heero pushed a dry finger inside of him, wiggling it around, making Duo squirm with delicious pleasure.

Heero grunted, but obediently reached for the tube of lubricant concealed in his jean pocket. He had it unscrewed and half the tube coating his hand before he pressed two fingers into Duo's warm body. Duo's grip on Heero's cock tightened and his legs and feet began the arduous task of removing Heero's jeans while losing his own pants in the process. He'd only advanced so far when Heero rolled them over, and over again until Duo was kneeling over the bed, Heero pressed up against him.

"In a hurry?" Duo teased even as Heero was pressing into his body.

"Want you," was all the other boy could manage as Duo's heat enveloped him.

Duo thrust back, burying Heero's cock farther inside of him, relishing in the feel of being filled and loved at the same time. Heero bent over him, pressing his chest against Duo's back, pinning Duo's knees to the bed by stepping on his pants. Heero's own jeans were trapping his legs as well, but that was okay--he didn't need that much room.

Duo buried his face into the bed, trying to muffle the noise Heero managed to wrangle from him. Heero, for his part, had no such inhibitions, and until both reached completion, some short minutes later, the room was filled with a chorus of grunts, groans, moans, and exclamations.

Heero pulled Duo down to the bed with him, positioning the other boy so he could hold him while still staying inside Duo--a tricky matter when soft, but pleasurable for both parties. Duo allowed himself to be cocooned most enjoyably in Heero's arms, moving so Heero could spoon against his back, warm breath teasing small wisps of chestnut hair at his neck.

Duo smiled sleepily. "Maybe I should stay... "

"Hn." Heero turned his face into Duo's neck, deeply inhaling the scent of sex and his koi. "You should go," he murmured, his fingers playing over Duo's stomach. "Don't worry. Wufei and I will be fine."

"Hn," the longhaired boy replied.

"Duo... ?" His fingers played with the end of Duo's braid, unconsciously unbraiding the rope of hair. "There's something I haven't told you... that I want to... "

"Mmm hmm?"

"It's about last year." Heero threaded his fingers through the silky long strands, combing loose the plaited strands. "When we were on MOII."

"Mmm hmm?" Duo was in an euphoric state of being. The only thing that could break his mood now would be--

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Someone knocking at the door. Duo sighed before shouting out, "Who is it?"

"Duo? It's Wufei. May I come in?"

"Sure! The more, the merrier!" Duo waited until the door to the outside room was closed before calling the Chinese boy into the bedroom. "What's up, Fei?"

"I apologize for intruding," the dark-haired youth stammered, averting his eyes from the two boys on the bed quickly. "I can come back at another time." He was already turning away when Duo's mocking voice stopped him.

"A man has just invited you into his bedroom and you would refuse him?"

Wufei glared at the longhaired boy--meeting those violet eyes so he wouldn't have to look at anything else. "Do not attempt to throw my own words back at me, Maxwell."

Duo just grinned at him, unrepentant. "Come on in. It's nothing you haven't already seen. I was just packing a few things to take with me, anyway."

The Chinese boy snorted, but stepped inside the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

"I shouldn't be longer than a week," Duo was continuing. "Really, it shouldn't even take me that long, but... "

"Have you given any thought to what Lady Une said this morning?" Wufei asked, standing near the door--as if he were preparing to take flight at any second.

"Not really," Duo replied honestly, sitting up and earning a grunt of protest from Heero. He rolled off the bed and fastened up his pants while talking. "I mean, I know it's something to consider--especially now that the gundams are gone--but I don't know if all that bureaucracy crap is for me, you know? I mean, all those rules and regulations and wearing a *uniform*?" Duo made a face as he started packing his bag again.

Heero watched them from where he laid, naked save for his jeans pooled around his shins, fully exposed, with hooded eyes. He looked almost asleep. "Not that joining the Preventers wouldn't be something to do," he added, catching Wufei's attention--and earning a crimson coloring from the other as he quickly averted his eyes again.

Duo went for the bathroom. "Oh, sure. Filling out paper work and babysitting a bunch of ex-Ozies would be *tons* of fun," he called back to them.

"There are White Fang members, as well," Wufei added.

"We know." Duo winked at Wufei and dropped his toothbrush and some paste into his bag. "So." He propped his hands on his hips and looked at Wufei and Heero. "What do you two have planned for while I'm away?"

"'Planned?'" Wufei asked, looking to Heero.

The coffee-haired pilot was smiling. For some reason, the sight slightly unnerved Wufei.

"Don't worry about it," Heero answered. "We'll be sure to have a coming home party ready for you when you get here."

"Oh, good. Well, in that case, I guess I'll have to trust you two to behave then, huh?" Duo zipped up his bag and swung it onto the floor at his feet. "Trowa was kinda in a hurry to leave--something about the sooner we get there, the sooner we can get back--and I've kinda taken up more time than I should've." Duo grinned and scratched his head--and realized that his hair was loose. "Dammit, Heero, did ja hafta break apart my braid like that?"

"Yes," the reclined boy answered, swallowing a grin as he sat up and handed his longhaired lover the hair band.

Duo grumbled, swiping the elastic band from Heero hand, yanking at his hair and trying to pull in back into the braid.

"Here," Wufei offered, moving up behind Duo and taking the long, silky strands away from the other. "Let me." He neatly sectioned off the three portions and then weaved them together; his fingers caressing the chestnut hair with each turn. "There," he announced, looping the band three times around the tail.

"Thanks, Fei!" Before the other could say a word, Duo turned, leaned over, and dropped a kiss on the stunned Chinese boy's lips. He grabbed a shirt and sludged into it on his way to the door. "Try not to have too much fun without me this week, okay? And don't let him overwhelm you, Fei! Bye, koi! Be good!"

"Never!" Heero called after the boy, but he didn't hear the reply--if there was one. He allowed Wufei another moment of stunned silence before barging in on the other man's thoughts. "Now, you need to pack a bag, too."

"What?" Wufei shook his head and looked back at Heero--not bothering to blush or look away this time as the other boy stood up and pulled his jeans back up.

"You wont need much," Heero answered. "We'll only be gone for about a week. Maybe a little longer."

"What about Duo?"

"He'll join us when he gets back." Heero stopped, looked at Wufei. "Don't you trust me?"

"I'm not sure if I should," the Chinese boy replied hesitantly.

 

End Part 1

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Promise Of The Rings   
> Part 4 of the Dance of the Heart Arc, A Matter of Heart Series
> 
> 01-03-02
> 
> *Additional Warning: Analingus*
> 
>  Standard Disclaimer Applies.

 

**Promise Of The Rings by Andrea Readwolf**

**Part Two: Love Shack**

 

It was close to nightfall before the small shuttle carrying Duo and Trowa took off. Heero wasted no time, telling Wufei to grab his bag and follow him. The coffee-haired teen wouldn't tell his companion where they were going-this frustrated Wufei to no little amount, but the Chinese pilot continued to follow the other teen through the woods that covered this Winner estate's backyard. Heero seemed to know where he was going, and for now, Wufei had to trust him-as infuriating as it was.

About a half hour's hike into the woods they came across the hunting lodge. This was no cottage in the woods. Some rich man must have built this to impress guests or some such nonsense, Wufei thought, staring up at the double story building that was larger than several homes he'd lived in.

Heero walked right up the steps like he owned the place and only paused at the door when he realized Wufei wasn't right behind him. "You coming?" he called down to the dark-haired boy, one eyebrow lifted in query.

"What is this place?" Wufei returned, not moving to go up the steps to where Heero stood, waiting.

"Home, for the next week," the coffee-haired boy answered. Heero turned to face Wufei fully, his small overnight bag swinging behind him. "Consider this an initiation or redemption of sorts. Whatever you want to call it. One week. You and me. Here. Quatre's people already stocked the place so we should have everything we'd need." He lifted a shoulder in a half-shrug. "We'll get reacquainted."

Wufei's obsidian eyes narrowed. " 'Reacquainted' *how*?"

Heero's bag fell to the wooden porch and he moved back down the steps. He stood silent a moment in front of the Chinese boy before reaching for him and pulling him closer, his mouth slashing over Wufei's.

This was not the same kiss they'd shared in the study yesterday afternoon. This was a kiss filled with passion and promise and hunger. One hand cradled Wufei's neck and skull, holding his head in place as Heero's tongue swept through Wufei's, demanding from him. Another hand pressed into Wufei's lower back, holding him against Heero's body in a most disturbing way that allowed the teen to feel more than he wanted to of Heero's body. The hand smoothed down, lower, covering his ass. The tight squeeze caught Wufei off-guard and he started, surging forward against Heero. The coffee-haired teen used the opportunity to move one of his legs between Wufei's, adding friction to the ebony-haired teen's already stirring arousal.

Wufei was shivering from more than just the frozen night air; his breath puffing from his lungs in icicle clouded pants to evaporate against Heero's warm face. Belatedly, the Chinese pilot realized he was clinging to the other teen and pulled away from him, angrily. "What the hell was that for, Yuy?" he growled, wiping the back of his hand across his mouth and face.

Heero stood where he was at, watching Wufei's actions. Mentally he frowned. "I want us to get reacquainted in everyway possible," he answered instead. "No secrets between us."

"Is that how it is with you and Duo?" the Chinese teen snapped, slapping his hands on his pants as if to swipe out some imaginary, offending wrinkle.

Heero nodded. "There are no secrets between us," he answered. "I don't know everything about him, and he doesn't know everything about me, but there are no secrets between us."

Wufei stared at him, his expression indescribable. "Why?" he asked finally, a waver in his voice.

"Why what?" Heero questioned softly.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Wufei swallowed and Heero noticed the bright shimmery sheen in those dark eyes.

Heero once again closed the distance between them, his arms moving up around Wufei in a gesture that seemed so natural to him now after a year living with Duo. He pulled the other pilot close, holding onto him tightly, burying his face in Wufei's throat. "Because we care about you, Chang Wufei," he answered against that caramel skin. "Because *I* care about you."

The body in his arms shook more noticeably. Wufei's head fell to Heero's shoulder. He was crying, and he knew it, and he hated himself for it. "Why?" he asked again, his throat choking on the word.

Heero's lips turned up, kissing Wufei's cheek. "No why," he replied. "Just do." His hands worked over Wufei's back in somewhat soothing touches that soon loosened some of the Chinese teen's tensed muscles. "Let's go inside; there should be a fire waiting for us. We can continue this conversation in there."

Wufei didn't protest as Heero led him up the steps and into the lodge. It was much warmer inside-the luxury of central heating. The sweet aroma of apple cinnamon, orange spice, and wintergreen pleasurably assaulted their senses as they traipsed through the rooms in search of the source of the crackling fire they could hear.

The lodge was tastefully decorated-with oil paintings of animals in place of any stuffed heads hanging from the walls. Rich forest greens, red wine mahoganies, nautical navy blues, burnished golden yellows, and stained woods created the color scheme of the downstairs rooms. The furniture looked stiff but inviting.

In the back room the fire awaited them, blazing roasty bright. A large fur-like rug was thrown over the floor before the fire. Heero moved Wufei to the rug; the Chinese teen sat without being told, staring at the fire like a lost soul. Heero took their bags and moved them into the one downstairs bedroom he saw as they passed through before heading into the kitchen to grab something to warm them both up.

He returned some minutes later with two bowls of soup, a couple of sandwiches slapped together from a platter of cold cuts, and two mugs of hot tea. Setting the tray down next to Wufei, Heero dropped onto the rug and pulled over a blanket from a nearby love seat. Taking one of the bowls and a sandwich for himself, he dipped the sandwich into the soup before turning to Wufei. "Now, why don't we start with why you left MOII without telling anyone?" he suggested before taking a bite from his makeshift meal.

Wufei looked at him, studied him, before reaching over for the second bowl of soup. "You talk more than you used to."

"Hn. Don't avoid the question."

He stirred the soup with a spoon, watching the blend of vegetables. "I spoke to Quatre and Trowa before I left." Green beans, carrots, yellow corn. "You and Duo were asleep."

"You could have left a message," Heero pointed out, reaching for another sandwich.

"I had nothing to say."

Heero stared at him, frowning openly. "Why?"

Wufei looked up at him, thoughts racing through his head with blazing intensity. "What would you have had me say?" he questioned instead.

"Why did you sleep with me?" Heero asked.

The ebony-haired teen sighed, dropping his spoon, giving up the charade of eating. "We were both drunk. It was a mistake on both our parts-even more so because of Duo. What would you have had me do, Heero? I had no explanation so I left none."

Heero said nothing. Wufei stared at his lap. "You told me once that actions spoke louder than words," Wufei whispered. "My actions were coming between the two of you. You cared about Duo; Duo loved you. I knew that, so I removed the distraction. I got out of your way."

"I tried to find you," Heero said finally, rolling onto his back and staring up at the ceiling. "On MOII, and then, later, after we got to L2. No one knew where you were. It was like you fell off the face of the universe."

"Hn. In a way, I did." Wufei fiddled with a clump of fake dark fur. "I returned to L5; wandered around a bit until I found a place to hole myself up in." Heero didn't a say a word, just let the other teen talk as he listened. "And there I started to waste away. Dying, bit by bit, until one day, my master appeared and dragged me out of there."

Wufei looked up, staring into the flames. "That must have been June or July. Then we came to Earth. And here I was until November, when I returned to the colonies." Wufei shrugged, concluding his little narrative.

"And now, here you are," Heero summed up, rolling over onto his side. Wufei looked down at him, but didn't answer.

"I left for L2 with Duo and Hilde," Heero informed the dark haired teen. "We enrolled in a couple of university courses-"

"Maxwell?" Wufei's lips twitched with disbelief.

Blue eyes stole the would-be smile away. "He did better on the entrance exam than I did," Heero admitted, albeit grudgingly-and yet, proudly. "Hilde and Duo took over a salvage company, and then Duo got it into his head to rebuild his old neighborhood."

"The Miramar Project?"

Heero nodded. "And Maxwell Orphanage."

Wufei fell onto his side across from Heero so it didn't feel like he was towering over the other teen. "Maxwell Orphanage?"

Heero nodded again. "Apparently, when Duo was growing up, he spent some time in a orphanage. The guy running the place was a priest, Father Maxwell. Duo says that's where he got his last name. The place burned down, though. Took the priest and everyone inside out. Duo was the only survivor."

Wufei frown, not looking at Heero but still facing him. "I didn't know that."

"This war has made all of us orphans, you know," Heero pointed out, rolling onto his stomach.

Wufei fell onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. "How so?"

"Well," Heero sighed. "You and Quatre lost your family, Trowa and I never knew ours and the people we grew up with are dead. Same for Duo."

"Doesn't Quatre have some sisters?"

"Twenty-nine of them," Heero confirmed. "But he wasn't raised with any of them. He just met most of them for the first time last year."

"Hn. I didn't know that."

Silence settled between the two teens as each boy gave himself over to his thoughts. It was after several minutes had passed that Heero sat up and ordered Wufei to roll over.

"What?"

"Roll over," the coffee-haired youth repeated, twirling his finger for demonstration. "And take off your shirt and jacket."

Wufei, who had been in the process of rolling over onto his stomach, froze.

"Don't worry. You'll like this," Heero reassured, moving up behind the Chinese teen to loosen his belt and help him out of his jacket. He dropped them over the loveseat while Wufei removed his shirt. "Now relax," he commanded, straddling Wufei's hips and leaning over his back.

He started with small, soft touches around the neck and shoulders, working down over the caramel-colored back. Beneath his fingertips, muscles jumped and quivered in response. Heero grinned, glad the other boy couldn't see him. It was like a special treat-being allowed to touch Wufei like this. It was exciting and exhilarating and a huge turn-on.

His hands skimmed down the Chinese youth's sides and he leaned over, gently dropping a kiss on the almost-sleeping boy's back. He leaned in closer, until his lips brushed Wufei's ear. "I want you, Chang Wufei," he whispered. "I want your body, soul, and love."

A shiver ran through the body beneath his. It raced directly into his cock. His fingers swept over caramel skin until they reached cloth. There they toyed, daring to slip below the cloth, just scant inches, before sweeping out again.

"I don't understand why," Wufei whispered, burying his face in his arms.

Heero stretched out his body over Wufei's, melding the two as closely together as possible with him still fully clothed. "There is no why," he answered. "Just do." His lips danced over Wufei's neck, and shoulder, before biting down. "I want to make love to you and have you still here when I wake up."

Wufei's body tensed, but he forced it to relax, even as he forced himself to continue breathing. He had agreed to... try... hadn't he? He had come out here tonight, knowing... there had been a good possibility that... "I will not leave," his hoarse voice replied for him. He licked his dry lips and rolled out from under Heero-only to have the other boy move back over him. "I will stay with you here as you have requested."

Heero grinned at him, leaning forward and capturing his lips, teasing them between his teeth. "I wasn't aware I was requesting," he murmured, his hand smoothing down Wufei's chest and stomach.

"Request, demand-they're all the same coming from you," Wufei gasped as Heero tweaked one dusky nipple. He felt his cock jump and suddenly he felt dizzy with desire again.

"We're not intoxicated this time," Heero pointed out, lapping at the other teen's throat, reveling in the euphuism Wufei gave him. "There's no excuse for the way your body's reacting." His hand strayed lower to cover the defined bulge tenting Wufei's pants.

Wufei moaning, his hips rolling up into that touch, his back arching, head tilting back onto the rug. "Heero..." his voice growled out.

He started blazing a trail down Wufei's chest and stomach, pulling the white pants from the other teen the lower he went. By the time Heero's lips were teasing Wufei's proud flesh, the Chinese boy was attempting to kick the pants all the way off. He cried out, his body arching off the rug, mad with pleasure.

Heero laved around the base of Wufei's swollen penis, nuzzling the shaft with his cheek as his thumb slid back and forth over the tip, smearing the tiny, pearlized bead of precum. And then he slowly dragged his tongue upward, bathing the pulsing shaft from base to tip. His lips moved over Wufei's head, sealing a tight suction even as he pushed the length farther down his throat.

Wufei screamed above him, fingers clenching clumps of dark, mocha hair, torn between pressing for more of the delicious, torturous suction, or pulling away from those glorious sensations. "Heero!" he shouted, pressing into that dangerous mouth as a hand gently began massaging his balls. He came a second later, body paralyzed with the ferocity of climax.

Minutes later, when his ears stopped ringing and his vision focused without serious concentration, Wufei still laid, stunned, on the rug, staring up at the ceiling, panting. Heero was still playing with his body-nuzzling it, kissing it, licking and tasting it, as was his want.

"I want to see you come a hundred times over before this week is over."

The quiet statement broke through Wufei's haze, snapping him back to consciousness, where, he realized, he was laying naked, on a rug, in the middle of nowhere, with Heero Yuy doing scandalous things to his body.

"Wh-what?" he asked, trying to push Heero's hands away from his body. "What the hell are you talking about, Yuy?"

Heero threw a leg over Wufei's, clamping down on the other boy's resistance. His fingers continued to play with one dark nipple, watching it pucker and harden and strain. "You look beautiful when you come, Wufei," Heero answered, his fingers reaching to play with the dark spun ebony silk. "I want to watch you come again... and again... and again... a hundred times over," he finished, leaning over to taste Wufei's throat.

"Don't say such nonsensical things," Wufei breathed, trying to ignore the sensations Heero's attentions were provoking.

Heero was looking down at him, grinning. "That was one," he announced, leaning down and brushing his lips over Wufei's. Back, and forth, before pressing against the other boy's lips, coaxing the other's to part for him, for his tongue that swept into Wufei's mouth, drawing its mate forth for Heero to suck on.

 

 

"Master Quatre, you asked for me?"

The sunny-haired youth returned his teacup back to its saucer on the large dark wood desk and leaned back into the huge master's chair. His bright, shining eyes studied the proud man standing inside the office door, staring intently, as if weighing the man's immortal soul in judgment. He didn't speak for a full minute, and the large man shifted on his feet, uncomfortably aware of the other's uncharacteristic scrutiny.

Quatre seemed to snap out of whatever thought had pursued him and motioned for Rashid to take one of the high-back chairs positioned in front of the desk. He had yet to smile at the other man. "Yes, please," his calm voice broke the silence with order. "Sit."

Rashid hesitated for seconds, suddenly not as sure of himself as he had always been, and then he moved to one of the seats.

"The war is over," Quatre announced as soon as the older man was situated. "Parliament has called for a complete disarmament from all independent forces not directly allied with the current government."

Rashid opened his mouth to speak, but Quatre raised a hand to forestall any argument or explanation the man might give. Rashid remained silent.

"I believe their intentions are just and good," he continued, returning both hands to his lap as he watched his friend. "However," and he paused and watched closely for the other's reaction to his next words. "I have no intention of allowing the Maganac soldiers to be completely disarmed."

They stared at one another for tense moments-and then Quatre leaned forward and pushed a small stack of paperwork across the expanse of desktop towards Rashid.

Dark eyes flickered from papers to the face of the young man across from him. "Sir?" Rashid asked, not reaching forward to take the papers, but remaining stiff in the somewhat too-small-for-his-frame chair.

"Read them," Quatre instructed, nodding and settling back into his own chair, hands folded once more across his stomach as he watched the larger man retrieve the papers he'd had his secretary draw up for him only this morning. For several minutes only the turning of papers interrupted the weighing silence. Finally, at the end of the last page, the dark man looked back up at the golden boy.

"I do not understand," said Rashid gruffly.

"They are commitment papers for the Maganac soldiers to become my personal security force-" Quatre began evenly.

"Master Quatre," Rashid stopped him, both with upheld hand and standing up tall until he towered over the sitting youth. "You do not understand," he announced. "The Maganac people are already loyal to you. Bound to you-"

"And this," Quatre said, pointing abstractly to the papers that were crumpling in Rashid's large fist, "will merely make that bond legal in the eyes of the current government. A legal contract between myself and the Maganac soldiers, complete with wages paid."

The leader of the Maganac soldiers tossed the papers to the desk as though they'd burned his fingers. "We do not accept pay for our loyalty," said Rashid stiffly.

"You will now," Quatre informed him, still remaining calm in the face of the other's obvious anger. Rashid's lips pressed together in a tight white line slashed across his face; his huge hands fisted at his sides. "I intend to offer this contract to Heero and Duo, as well," the blond continued, his chin lifting a notch. "Wufei would have been invited as well; however, he has already elected to join the Preventers."

"And you, sir?" Rashid managed to ask through his rigid jaw set. "Will you consider joining these Preventers now that the gundams have been... taken care of?"

Quatre sighed and relaxed his posture for the first time that morning, falling back against the chair with shoulders slumping. "I would like to," he confided in his friend. "I would like to, but as the chairman of WEI I don't think that option is either wise or available to me."

Rashid did not reply.

"Duo and Trowa left for the colonies," Quatre told him. "They will be returning to us before the end of the week."

"You will be remaining at this residence, than, Master?" Rashid asked, somewhat surprised.

"Yes, I think we will." Quatre looked out towards one of the darkened large bay windows lining the side of the office. "It will make some things difficult with WEI, I'm sure, but I have missed Earth. Anything that needs my personal attention can wait the time it takes for me to shuttle myself to space."

Rashid nodded, clearly agreeing with that assessment. "And Master Barton?" he questioned.

Quatre smiled for the first time that evening. "He's staying, Rashid." And his eyes sparkled when he looked up at his friend and confidant. "He has agreed to stay."

The corners of the older man's mouth twitched. "Very good, Master Quatre," replied Rashid. He glared at the papers for a moment before finally picking them up. "I will... review this contract more and share it with the others; though I cannot guarantee their agreement."

"They are to be signed and returned to me the day after tomorrow by every member of the Maganac army," Quatre instructed, "or else his weapon is to be confiscated."

"They will not like that."

"Then it is up to you, my friend, to persuade them," Quatre charged.

The older man frowned but finally was swayed. "It will be as you say," were his parting words, a fist slapped to his breast and a bow from the waist before turning away from the room.

Quatre studied the door; the silence pressing in on the room, held back only by the loud clamor of his thoughts. They would not be happy, no, Rashid was right. Many would probably see payment for their loyalty as an insult, as Rashid had. The Maganac soldiers were of a proud people, but the government would not understand-it would not recognize that pride where weapons were concerned.

Yes, they were a proud people, but they were not poor. The Maganacs were rich in treasures of family and health, as well as mere wealth. Quatre never questioned their quantity of secret bases, complete with up-to-date equipment; their top-quality mobile suits and the spare parts needed to maintain and repair each suit. Their families were all well fed and well dressed. Their homes, while modest, did not lack for any comfort. Yes, they were a proud people, but they were a happy and content people. A loyal people whom Quatre felt very privileged to know.

And now that he had to, in fact, force their hand in this matter so that they could maintain that-

The comm. unit on the desk rang out with his personal work frequency tone. "Yes, what is it?"

"Oh, Mister Winner! *Finally*! I've been trying to reach you for the last twenty minutes-!"

Forty minutes later, Quatre stood at the top of the front door steps, waiting for his car to pull up, suitcase at his heel. He looked off to the dark woods that encircled the side and rear of the estate and towards the building he knew was tucked somewhere away in there and he smiled. "Good luck, Heero, Wufei," he said to the wind before being ushered into his waiting chariot.

And then his smiled brightened. Maybe, just maybe, he'd be able to stop in on Trowa and surprise him...

 

 

Wufei stared into the dying fire, his chin propped up on his arm, his teeth grinding together. His head throbbed from the pressure, his eyes watered. He had been there for several hours, laying on his stomach, staring into the dwindling firelight.

The blanket that covered him from the waist down twisted and pulled, threatening to leave him as an equally naked body pressed against his side, an arm sliding over his back as a leg pressed against his until Wufei relented and allowed the body to tangle with his own. Hot breath scalded across his neck and back as a head used his shoulder as a pillow.

Wufei nearly laughed. Nearly. ' _Who knew Heero Yuy was a cuddler?'_

Wufei had been awake for hours after Heero had fallen asleep. Hours, just... thinking. He was struggling to put his life into place; what his life had become, into place. Naked. In another man's arms... with the promise of more.... Of something.

He was employed by the Preventers-Lady Une, his former enemy, was now his ally and superior. He had a purpose, a job to do, a responsibility to fulfill, someplace he was needed. But not until after the 18th. Wufei had been surprised when his superior had informed him he wasn't to report back to work until the 18th. That was, until he had notice his superior in the arms of his partner two nights ago. He had been immediately surprised, shocked at what he was seeing-two women together-but just as quickly as the emotions rose up, he pushed them away and chided himself for the reaction. He had no right to question two persons' relationship. Especially considering his own situation.

He turned over, Heero's body moving with his until the Japanese teen was laying on Wufei's chest. He looked down at the chunks of dark hair distinct against his lighter dark skin-not black, like his own hair, despite Heero's Asian heritage. Of course, it was possible that Heero really *wasn't* Asian-despite his hailing from L1. Still, there was...something about his shape, his coloring, even his mannerism-they were familiar to Wufei, a part of himself.

It was one of the reasons they had felt comfortable with one another during the war-they were alike. Heero and him. They shared a burning desire to excel-to be the best, to be perfect. They were... quiet, analytical, reserved... they both fell in love with the same person.

Duo's image popped immediately up to mind. He would be back in four days. And then...

It was crazy, what they were thinking of doing. A three-way relationship. Would it work? Could it work? It was so crazy. Almost completely unheard of. Rarely were successful relationships with three-or-more partners recorded and they were never openly accepted-either on Earth or in the colonies.

He would never even *think* of attempting such a relationship situation if his family was still alive, he knew. They would not have allowed such a thing. He knew, and that knowledge made him feel an incredible guilt.

"You're frowning."

Wufei started and realized two brilliant blue eyes were staring up at him, flames dancing in their dark glossiness. "I was just thinking," Wufei answered, unable to break away from those eyes. They seemed to pierce into his very soul.

Heero leaned up onto one arm, hovering over him. "Of?"

"My family," he answered without hesitation, a soft, sad, tired wisp of a reply.

"I'm sorry."

Wufei started again, frowning more than before. "Why?" he asked.

Those blue eyes bore down into him, baring him open. A hundred words swam across those cobalt pools though Heero's lips remained sealed. It was as if he was trying to tell him with his eyes alone, as if they were supposed know what each other was thinking-was that what it was like between Heero and Duo?

"I was wondering," Wufei finally said after another moment of silence, "what they would think of me... if they knew..." Wufei's voice trailed off and he looked away, looking back to the dying fire.

Heero settled off against Wufei's side, their legs still tangled. He brushed his fingers back and forth across Wufei's chest-a gesture that Duo liked. Wufei made no move to end the familiar touch. "Do you think they would be anything but proud of your accomplishments?"

" 'Accomplishments?'" Wufei scoffed. "I have made no accomplishments, Yuy. If anything-" Wufei took a deep, shaky breath. "If anything, I have shown them nothing but failure. I have failed the trust they placed upon me; failed the honor of their memory."

"That's crap."

Wufei's face snapped around, his dark eyes burning with hurt and disbelief. "Who do you think you are to criticize me?" he asked angrily.

Heero didn't answer immediately-he pushed Wufei onto his back, pressing him into the fur blanket on the floor with his body and holding him there. "You haven't failed anyone, Wufei," Heero said softly, his voice rough with pressure. "I don't know where you got that cockamamie idea. You ended the war between Earth and the colonies-that's exactly what your family hoped and died for. You won the peace they gave their lives for. You won peace."

"I did no such thing!" Wufei protested, pushing up at Heero, but the other teen refused to yield. "You were the one who-"

"I just blew a chunk of metal out of the sky and kept Zechs busy," Heero interrupted, his words fast and furious but low. "You fought Trieze. Because you defeated him, the Earth Forces surrendered. *You* are the reason the war ended, Wufei. Not me."

The fight sapped away from Wufei's limbs at the mention of Khushrendada's name. Wufei lay limp beneath Heero, cheek pressed to the fur as he stared at the golden embers. "I didn't defeat him," he whispered hoarsely-so low Heero almost missed the words. "He did not defend himself. He purposefully-" His words choked off. "I have never been so dishonored, so used."

Heero hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do, and then he leaned down and dropped a soft kiss over Wufei's cheek before pressing his own face to Wufei's. "You gave him his fantasy, Wufei," Heero whispered in the other teen's ear. "You allowed him to die as the hero he dreamed to be."

"It was a cowardly act," Wufei spat.

"Yes," Heero didn't deny him, "But that's not how it is remembered." Heero settled firmly against Wufei's side, enveloping the Chinese youth with his warmth and body. "Trieze Khushrenada, leader of the Earth Forces, died bravely in battle, defending the Earth from a tyrannical colonial terrorist faction set on destroying the planet.' That is how they remember him; that is what they write in their histories. There is no mention of you or I or the gundams. People will soon forget that mechanical suits were ever used for warfare. It will be like a fairytale for future generations. A myth."

"More like a nightmare," Wufei sulked.

"Only for us." Heero squeezed him. "Only for those of us who have seen the nightmare and know it was real." Heero sighed. "It's late. You should sleep."

And he did. Wufei fell asleep bathed in the warmth of Heero's arms and body and slept a truly peaceful sleep for the first time since... well, forever.

 

 

He wasn't past the first tents before he heard the excited squeal of children.

"Trowa's back! Trowa's back!" was the chorus that greeted him just before they attacked, latching onto whatever available piece of him there was: an arm, a leg, a waist, a neck. He laughed and obediently lifted his arms and legs, raising the children up and down, and was rewarded with their delighted squeals.

"Okay, that's enough," a woman's rough voice ordered. "Get back to work now and let Trowa unpack already. He's just gotten here!"

Trowa looked up, lowering the children back to their own feet, and offered a small smile for his 'sister'. Catherine finished wiping her hands on a rag and tossed it at one of the dispersing children. And then she turned her gaze upon him, eyeing him critically before nodding and walking over to hug him.

"Mmnnn, look at you! Back so soon. Did you have a good time? You don't look like you've lost any weight, at least, so you must have liked the food. That's good, you can't afford to lose any; you're already skin and bones." She pinched his side before heading back down one of the rows between tents. "Come on. I'll make you some warm goulash and you can tell me all about your visit."

She dragged him back to their twin trailers, leading him into hers. He followed, studying her as if seeing her again for the first time. Her rich dark red hair was a bit more brown than when they'd first met, and longer, too-falling to just below her shoulders instead of just to them. The curls weren't as distinct at the moment, but he knew that they would be in place in time for a show-their secret, along with her hair color, hidden safely away somewhere in the depths of her humble abode. She was still lean-some would say "skinny"-and tall, even though she stood a good measure under his own height. But, then, there weren't many who were actually taller than him. Her eyes still flashed with her wit-neither a blue nor green, nor brown nor grey, but somehow, an enchanting blend of all.

Today she was barely covered in tight navy short shorts-that left a great length of shapely, muscled leg showing-over a daisy yellow leotard with a white half sweater covering her long, slender arms. Despite it being early January, the colony's thermostat was dialed to an agreeable 72 degrees. There was chalk and dirt tucked under her clear-polished nails and a slight glowing flush to her face that led him to believe she'd been practicing on the trapeze again.

Having grown up in the circus, Trowa knew that Catherine was competent in all areas of the spot light. But her favorite-second only to her sharp daggers-was the swinging bars and daredevil stunts of the high wire and trapeze. Until recently, some one else had filled that spot in the show, but the month before last, one of their acrobats had taken up with a local boy on route and decided to jump wagon. Catherine had been asked to fill in until a new girl could be located.

"So?" Catherine asked, setting a cup of soup before him and smiling. "Aren't you going to say anything?"

Trowa smiled and pulled the woman into another, strong hug. "Happy New Year's, Cathy."

 

 

It's so great that you came back, Duo!" the boy cried excitedly through a wad of chewing gum. "I told Kenny you'd be back, but he didn't believe me. Kenny said that no one in their right minds would ever come back *here* if they could get out. But I said, I said, 'Duo, he's been outta here already but look! He came back once, and he'll come back again!' and see! I was right, wasn't I? Kenny, he didn't like that and so he up and slugged me. See! Isn't it a great one, Duo?" the boy asked, gingerly fingering the ugly yellow-and-purple bruise under his left eye.

Duo paused in his survey of the near-empty apartment and offered a rueful grin for the boy. "I bet Lexie didn't like that one bit," he said, ruffling the boy's dark curls. "Didn't she say you weren't supposed to be fighting?"

"Auh, but I wasn't fighting. See! That's the glory of it! I didn't even get a chance to hit back! Lexie saw Kenny swing at me and he's the only one who got in trouble!" The boy returned Duo's grin with extra exuberance.

"Besides," Duo continued. "Kenny was right this time. I *am* leaving."

The boy's smile faded in a nanosecond as he jumped off the counter and gaped at the older boy. "You're leaving?" Duo nodded. "Heero, too?"

" 'Fraid so, Jake," Duo said, squatted down on level with the six year old. "Heero and I are going to be staying with some old friends of ours back on Earth. But don't you worry. Lexie's still here and she's got my number. I'll be getting regular reports on you." He ruffled the boy's curls again. "And I'll still be stopping by and visiting once and awhile, you know?"

The boy's bottom lip quivered but he stubbornly struggled against any threatening tears.

"Hey, listen," Duo said, slipping his favorite black cap off and sliding it onto the boy's head. He stood, towering over the child. "I have to stop by and talk to Lexie yet. How would you like to ride back to the house with me on my bike?"

The boy's reaction was immediate. "Really?" he cried, and, with an affirmative nod from Duo, he raced off out of the room without the older boy.

Sighing, Duo took up his keys and gave them a little toss. He looked back at the place that had been home for the last couple of months. This apartment had served them well, him and Heero. They'd had a lot of fun and did a lot of good from in here. It was a shame to leave it, but equally shameful to let it go to waste when there were still other people, families, who didn't have a real home. He just hoped the family moving in here tomorrow would enjoy as many good times here as he had.

The horn from his bike blasted through the late afternoon air and with a final goodbye, Duo closed and locked the door behind him.

 

 

Heero savagely pushed him against the wall, his sculpted body right there to hold Wufei, caught.

"You are my prisoner," Heero grounded out, grinding their trapped erections together brutally.

Wufei gave a tiny cry but didn't protest. In his mind, he'd convinced himself that this was part of his punishment. Punishment for betraying his friends, betraying his family's honor. Punishment for betraying himself. He submitted, completely. Heero's mouth slashed over his in a wild, frenzied kiss. Despite himself, despite telling himself that he shouldn't be finding pleasure in "punishment", Wufei was highly aroused.

"This is going to be different," Heero told him, sucking on his throat. He pinched a nipple and nearly groaned at Wufei's excitatory startled, sharp cry.

"Before we leave, you're going to be screaming," he promised.

Wufei's cry was lost in Heero's mouth. Heero's hand dug into Wufei's thighs. "Spread them," he commanded, lifting Wufei's legs up and around his waist when the Chinese man complied. From this new position, Heero pistoned against Wufei's writhing body and held the man tight against the wall when, a moment later Wufei shouted out his release.

Mentally, Heero smirked and thought, 'And that makes orgasm number 7.'

When Wufei's breath had evened out some, Heero stepped back, Wufei's legs falling from around Heero's waist back to the floor. Heero watched him predatorily.

"Strip."

A whimper escaped his throat and Wufei cursed his weakness. Shaking hands reached for the top elongated button on his jacket. With familiar ease that was hindered only slightly be his trembling fingers, he shed the jacket and handed it to Heero, wondering why he had bothered to dress completely this morning at all. Without looking, the Japanese man tossed the white article of clothing in the direction of one of the chairs, his eyes never leaving Wufei as the Chinese man deftly removed the black tank top and then reached for his pants' fastenings.

Heero almost groaned aloud when Wufei stepped out of his white pants, tossing them to the side, and stood tall, shoulders back, proud and naked before him.

"Beautiful," Heero whispered, stepping closer.

Wufei wanted to scoff at him. Tell the other man that *he* was not the beautiful one, but then Heero's hands were moving over him... And where Heero's hands led, his lips were sure to follow.

"Take my shirt off."

Wufei's hands fell immediately to Heero's waist, tugging at the green tank top, pulling it free from the tight jeans. Just as he was beginning to lift it up over his arms, Heero's hips grounded into his, scratchy-smooth denim digging into Wufei's bare thighs and penis. He faltered, cutting off his cry. Heero's fingers pinched into Wufei's hips, holding him still.

"Off."

Wufei pulled the tank free, Heero holding him to the wall with just the weight of his lower body. Heero dipped, and he caught a dark, dusky nipple between his teeth, worrying the other between his thumb and forefinger. Wufei writhed against the wall.

By the time Heero had worked himself down to his knees, Wufei's cries were falling freely, filling the cabin with their erotic sound.

Warm hot breath extracted a long moan from the Chinese man. Heero's mouth had long hours of practice and worked over Wufei's engorged penis with skillful cruelty. Wufei's hands buried deep into that soft, coffee-colored hair, urging that warm, wet mouth closer, deeper. Heero's fingers snatched at the hands, pulling them away, shoving them against the wall, wrists outward.

"Stay," he ordered.

Wufei whimpered and then choked off a scream when Heero tried to suck the not-so-tiny silky sac hidden beneath Wufei's raging erection into his hot mouth.

Heero's thumb slid over the wet, slippery slit, his hand pumping Wufei's penis while his tongue and mouth continued to lick and suck away.

"HEERO!!!"

He pulled back. Allowing the thin, pearly white milky cum to splatter across his chest. Above, Wufei was panting and shaking. Heero smirked.

"That's eight."

Wufei groaned, his knees giving out under him and he used the support of the wall behind him to slide to the floor.

"We're not done yet."

Wufei just looked at him, boneless from his second orgasm in less than half-an-hour. "Don't you ever get tired?"

Heero drew a finger across his runny chest, bringing the cum-coated digit to his lips and sucking it clean.

"Mmm. Good."

A hand threaded through Wufei's ebony silken hair, cupping his skull and then yanking him forward.

"Lick it."

Too weary to argue, Wufei obediently darted a quick tongue out and swiped out across Heero's bared chest. The taste was new, but not unpleasant.

"All of it."

Wufei bit back a moan as Heero laid back against the floor, dragging Wufei up over him so the Chinese man was straddling him. Wufei leaned over and began licking Heero's chest clean. Beneath him, Heero squirmed, rubbing his trapped arousal against Wufei.

When he had finished, Heero ordered him to remove his jeans.

With languid motions, Wufei slipped the brass button free from its loop before tugging on the shiny, smart zipper. The rasp of hissing metal teeth pulling apart warred with panting breaths for the only sound in the room. Wufei slid his hands inside, under the loosed waist and over Heero's smooth sides. Slowly, his palms caressing waist... hips... thighs... Wufei pulled the denim down, wondering all the time if this was going to be it. If Heero was going to...

"Wait."

The denim halted at Heero's knees.

"Left pocket."

Wufei reached in and pulled out a reddish-pink tube, reading the label. One thin, dark eyebrow rose and Wufei looked at him, his heart quickening with excitement as well as amusement.

"Cherry flavored?"

Heero actually smirked at him.

"Duo has grape."

And then he pulled Wufei down by his neck and kissed him, running his tongue inside, along the walls of Wufei's mouth, swiping over teeth and tongue. It was a surprisingly sweet and gentle kiss and Wufei whimpered into it. Heero toed his jeans the rest of the way off, thankful that he'd already removed his socks and sneaks.

"Wufei, I want," he panted.

"Anything," the Chinese man promised.

Heero looked up at him, cradling his face, surprised at the honesty in that statement. 'He looks like a seductive god...' It was sexy as hell.

"I want to, like before, on MOII. But this time, with this."

Heero held up the cherry-flavored lube and watched Wufei for his reaction.

"And no running away after, either. You are still my 'prisoner'," he teased softly, with just a hint of uncertainty.

"If I am your prisoner, than you do not need to ask my permission to use my body as you like any more now than before," Wufei replied dryly, his body stiffening.

Heero's lips teased Wufei's until he relaxed again under the influence of the kiss.

"Consider me an honorable captor, then," he murmured against Wufei's mouth.

Wufei muffled a moan, turning whole-heartedly into the kiss. Heero snapped the tube open.

"Prep yourself for me," he requested, squeezing the cool, red-tinted gel onto Wufei's fingers. Wufei groaned, cupping his fingers to prevent losing any of the slippery gel. And then his groan deepened as he reached behind himself with the gel. Wufei gasped, working a finger past his reluctant ring for the first time.

"It's okay," Heero murmured against Wufei's chin and throat. "A few more minutes will do it."

It only took a minute for the slippery gel to do its job-another two before Heero's control vanished under the weight of Wufei's heavy moans.

Heero surprised him, pressing him back into the floor, forcing his lips open; Wufei's mouth opened for the Japanese man's tongue as his body seemed to surge up and over him, pressing Wufei completely against the wooden planks beneath them.

Both boys groaned, moving against each other in an attempt to feed the fires racing through their blood. Wufei tore his lips from Heero as a cry tore from his throat, his frustration, his need to feel whole. Heero bent over him, his mouth seizing over Wufei's bare shoulder and biting down hard against the caramel skin. Wufei screamed, jumping beneath him. Heero's hips thrust against him, pressing him back into the floor. Wufei squeezed his eyes shut, ignoring the tears as Heero lapped at his abused shoulder. His arms wound round tight against Heero's chest and torso, to hold the other to him. It wasn't enough.

Heero pulled back; Wufei cried, distressed. A moment of fear and trepidation passed over him as Heero's head dipped, his tongue pushing into Wufei's mouth. Wufei welcomed it, craved it, sucked on it as Heero's hips came crashing down into his with fiercesome pressure, causing him to moan around the invading tongue. Heero's erection dug into Wufei's, trapped between their two bodies as their hips rocked against each other. Wufei's arms and legs managed to wrap themselves around Heero's body, holding them closer together.

The tensing of the muscles above him was the little warning given to him before Wufei's world rocked, tilted, turned over, and Wufei found himself moving over Heero as the other man rolled under him, changing their positions, causing Wufei to fall onto Heero, grounding their erections together with more force than before. Wufei gave a startled cry, pulling back, falling back as the full length of Heero's penis moved beneath the underside of his own, teasing the sensitive skin of his most private areas. Wufei could feel the head of the other's penis, right *there*, moving back and forth over his opening with every thrust of their hips.

"I want you," Heero's rough voice whispered against his ear, warm breath sending shivers through Wufei's entire body.  "I want to fuck you again.  Like we did before..."

Wufei whimpered. "Yes," he breathed against Heero's sweaty shoulder. "I want you to fuck me, too."

"Hard," Heero growled, thrusting against the smaller boy.

"Yes."

Hands moved up over his chest, smoothing down the planes and contours. Beneath him, Heero's moans and groans reverberating through his chest and torso, humming between Wufei's thighs. The sight of Heero, beneath him like that, head thrown back, muscles cording, straining, tensing... hard... sleek... sexy as hell.

He wanted this man... He wanted him inside him. Trembling fingers wrapped around that swollen penis-familiar, and yet, still foreign, his mind registered. Bigger than him-and squeezed, coaxed. Beneath him, Heero became even more vocal than before, moving against Wufei's hands, taking as much as he was willing to give. Demanding more.

Wufei dropped his hips, swallowing Heero's entire length inside himself. The scream that tore through the room was choked off at the throat as Wufei threw his head back, back arched, eyes squeezed shut against the streaming tears. Heero held absolutely still, torn between two warring desires: The first, to plummet into the boy, to fuck him long and hard. The second to not move, to allow Wufei the time he needed to adjust. In this position, it was Wufei who was in control.

Wufei shifted on his knees, embedding Heero's penis deeper inside of himself. It still hurt. But, beneath that hurt was something else... the delicious feel of being filled... It felt good. It felt so damn good, just like before. He forced himself to open his eyes, to look at Heero. The other man was watching him intently, licking his lips and panting with restrained desire.

He moved again, rising up so only the tip of Heero's penis remained inside his body. And then he fell down; grinding his hips against Heero's as hard as he could. Both men cried out, arched in a tangle of pleasurable pain. A second passed, filled with nothing but the heavy, panted breaths and their own sensations of pain and pleasure, before they looked at each other. A beat. A heartbeat. And then they moved, thrusting against one another, their bodies demanding, taking, giving, screaming for something more than just a sexual release; Pushing, pulling against the other, their wills clashing, clanging, banging, fucking, kissing, understanding, loving, forgiving...

Until each was too exhausted to do more than moan and succumb to the release that courted them.

 

 

The dark haired woman-child set the tall glass of cold soda down on the kitchen table that was serving as her desk for the time being before sliding across from him with her own glass.

"So you're really leaving, then, huh?" Lexie asked, absently pushing a dark strand of loose hair back behind one ear. She shook her head, frowning, worry knitting her face. "Duo, I don't think I can do this without you. There's too much-"

"You're not alone, Lex," the longhaired teen stopped her, smiling encouragingly at her. "You already have the makings of a great staff, and I'm always just a phone call away."

The younger teen snorted. "Like I'd spend the money to call down to Earth."

"You most certainly will," said Duo, catching her eye and holding it. "Listen, I'm expecting to hear from you at least once a week, you get me? And if there's a problem, you better damn well be on that phone over there with me on the other line, got it?"

Her shoulders fell and she shook her head, for the longest time not saying a word. And then, she sighed and looked over to the over-sized refrigerating unit covered in watercolor paintings. "So what grand project has caught your fancy now, oh mighty Duo Maxwell?"

Duo grinned and relaxed a bit in his chair. "No grand project," he said, twisting the glass between his palms. "Just life, living. I'm gonna be seeing to a little wager some friends and I have going."

Lexie shook her head, her eyes avoiding the multitudes of paperwork scattered over the tabletop. "And is... Heero leaving, too, then?" she asked.

"Yep," Duo nodded.

"Oh." Outside one of the kids shouted "TEN! Ready or NOT!"

"Duo...? I know... I know it's probably none of my business and all, but... about Heero...? He was your roommate, right?"

"For going on two years now, yeah, why?" he answered and asked without missing a beat. He swallowed some of the soda, allowing the fizzles to tickle down his throat, and watched her, but she wasn't looking at him.

"Do you, well, happen to know, I mean, what kind of, what type of girl interests, appeals to him?" she managed.

Duo blinked. "Well, now, I don't think we talked about girls all that much," he admitted, frowning as he tried to remember any conversations they might have had on the subject.

"Oh. Oh, of course not. Never mind. It was silly of me to ask any way. Just forget-"

Duo was not a dense boy. You couldn't make it on the streets of L2 if you were dense. But there were just some things you weren't expecting, that so broadside you-The scarlet blush of the girl's cheeks across from him; the down-turned dark eyes; the napkin that was surely being twisted to death between nervous fingers. And with complete lack of finesse, Duo exclaimed, "You've got a crush on Heero!"

Lexie jumped to her feet, upsetting her chair and almost tipping her glass. "No!" she shouted, and then with a bit more composure, "No, of course not, Duo. I don't know what you're getting at." She grabbed up a cloth from the sink and began wiping down the counter top.

Duo laughed at her. "You *do*!" he grinned, leaving the table, too, and getting right up in her face. "You think he's cute!"

"Well, he's no Duo Maxwell," the girl snapped, tossing the rag back in the sink, "but he's not bad himself."

"I'll be sure to tell him you said so," Duo promised, still laughing.

And then she turned on him. "Don't you dare!"

"Oh, but I must!"

"Duo Maxwell!"

And then a sobered. "Listen, Lexie," he cleared his throat and tentatively rubbed her arm. "You're a great girl-I love you like a little sister, and all-but believe me when I say Heero Yuy is not the right guy for you, okay?"

Her flush brightened and just as quickly, she looked away. "Of course not. What guy wants a girl with baggage, right?"

He stopped her from pulling away only by pulling her closer and holding her. "Lexie, Lexie, listen. There's a great someone out there just waiting to met you, and he's gonna come along and make you really happy, you hear me? And it won't matter to him if you have one or a million bags with ya, he'll still love ya. But believe me when I say, that someone ain't Heero, okay?"

"Why?" she asked, only half-angry with him now. "Because he's your friend?"

Duo smiled, though she couldn't see it, and gave her one last squeeze before releasing her. She moved to the fridge, readjusting one of the sloppy paintings of a large house with a flower garden, and then turned back to look at him.

"No," he said slowly, holding her gaze with a steady look. And he hesitated-just for a brief instant-before continuing. It wasn't like they'd intentionally tried to *hide* their relationship, but... "Because he's my boyfriend."

He knew the exact moment when his meaning broke upon her. Her dark eyes grew large and her lips formed a silent "O" before working voicelessly. He barely managed to suppress his grin as he leaned back against the counter, watching her.

"Oh," she finally managed. "Oh, I mean, oh my god," and she turned away from him, walking towards the pantry before turning back. "Oh my god. I'm sorry. I didn't realize. I mean, I didn't know. Oh *god*." And she fell into her chair at the table, propping her head up in her hands. "You must think I'm such an idiot," she mumbled.

He laughed-relieved beyond words that she was taking it so well. After all, some people still didn't condone alternative lifestyles even in After Colony 197 (and if Heero was successful with this little week-retreat he'd had planned, their relationship would definitely move solidly into the "alternative" category). "Actually," he told her, moving back to the table now, too, "I think you have highly good taste."

"Oh god," she groaned. "I should've known..."

"We didn't exactly advertise the fact," he pointed out as her arms folded in on each other and she rested her head on the table with a weak laugh.

"Please don't tell Heero I said anything," she begged, looking up at him with pleading eyes. "I don't think I could live with the embarrassment."

"Don't be embarrassed, Lexie," he asked, suddenly feeling a bit embarrassed himself. "And, if... if you didn't want to work for me anymore, because of this, I would-"

"Of course I want to work for you!" she cried, suddenly wiping tears from the corners of her eyes. "This is probably the best thing that's every happened to me since Father Maxwell and Sister Helen left-" She swallowed. "I still want to stay," she said, "and work here. For as long as you'll let me."

He leaned over and dropped a kiss on her forehead. "You really are a great girl, Lexie. Thanks."

 

 

He had his driver drop him off two blocks away from the circus grounds, allowing him to walk the remainder of his trip. The clothes his secretary had procured for him when he'd asked for an L3 streetwear/commonwear outfit blended in perfectly with the people around him-stone washed denim that was a little over-stiff from being brand new, a three-button navy short sleeved polo shirt, a brown weave belt, and brown suede shoes. All he had with him was in the duffle bag his secretary had handed him on his way out the door. He still hadn't looked in it, yet, to see what had accompanied him on his impromptu visit to the circus.

The grounds were bustling with activity and few people took note of him as he passed by, weaving in between trailers, tents, and animal pens. Children ran back and forth across his path, filling the air with laughter and shouts. A flutter of activity even when there was no show scheduled, the circus grounds always provided something interesting to discover. Quatre had been to the circus only a handful of times in his life-his father hadn't approved of such going-ons-and he'd only been to this circus once. That time hadn't been a joyous occasion.

He wasn't sure where Trowa was in all the mayhem, so he paused at each gathering, looking for the lanky youth. He was currently at the elephants' pen when a voice beside him proclaimed, "You look lost."

Startled, because he hadn't realized anyone had noticed him, Quatre jumped a little before recovering and smiling at the elderly woman. "Hello, I'm sorry," he said in his most polite voice. "I was just looking for a friend of mine-"

The old woman's dark eyes squinted as she stared at him, frowning with serious concentration, and Quatre's voice faltered-And then, she nodded and said almost to herself, "Ye be the one," before smiling a gap-toothed grin at him. "Young Bloom can best be found near where the lions be, but today, you'd be best to look for him near the wire in the top tent. He be helping his sister and them practice."

"The-the top tent?" Quatre stuttered.

The woman jabbed a wrinkled, dirt-encrusted thumb over her shoulder. Quatre's eyes, following in that direction, fell upon clearly the largest tent he'd ever seen, towering over the other surrounding tents.

"And Raberba," she called after him. "You have a clear, pure soul, young man. You'll make him happy."

Quatre blinked dumbly at her, stammering a 'thank you.' If she heard him, she didn't respond as she heaved herself into an old-styled near-by wagon. He shook his head, bemusedly, when he read the wooden sign with 'Psychic' scrawled across it, and then turned back to high tail it over to the top tent.

It took Quatre a couple of minutes to get over there-only because his eye kept snagging on this or that interesting or intriguing thing in the tents and pens he had to pass. Once inside, however, he found himself one of many who stared up, entranced by the sights happening high above. Three men and one woman were swinging, somersaulting, and flipping back and forth through the air. One of the men, Quatre recognized instantly as Trowa, and the woman, he felt sure, must be Catherine.

He'd only met Catherine once-the last time he'd visited this circus-and it had not been a good experience. Trowa had lost his memory, a fault of Quatre's actions, and the woman had been fiercely protective of Trowa and aggressive towards anything and anyone she perceived as a threat. Unfortunately, she saw Quatre as a threat. In their time together, however, Trowa had talked about the woman, the girl he thought of as a sister, and Quatre knew he valued her opinions and her friendship.

Both reasons gave the blond president of the Earth Sphere's largest corporation motive to fear the fiery young woman.

The quartet overhead finished off with a dazzling finale and the gathering back on the ground erupted into thunderous applause. Quatre was the only one to cry out when first one pair and then the other jumped clear of the platforms and plummeted to the ground. Miraculously, they bounced-and then, as the people in front of him moved away, Quatre saw the large mesh netting that stretched beneath the trapeze rigging.

"Thanks, Trowa!" one of the guys was saying when Quatre finally calmed his racing heart and pulled together enough nerves to propel himself over to the netting. The lean teen nodding in acknowledgement, not saying a word as he wiped his hands on a rag one of the children had handed him.

And then he looked up-as if sensing someone was watching him.

And his green eyes widened-just a fraction of an inch with surprise.

And then his lips twitched, the corners curling up in a little smile, and he hopped off the netting, tossing the rag back to a kid.

"What are you doing here?" he asked softly, clearly happily surprised.

Helplessly, Quatre grinned back at him, wanting to reach out and touch the other boy, but also acutely aware of all the surrounding people. "I got a call from work," the blond explained, sliding his hands into his pockets to help curb his impulse. "I'm going to be in meetings all afternoon tomorrow and probably the next day, too. But tonight-and all tomorrow morning..." he led on hopefully. "I have completely free, and are all yours-if you want them," he amended, his grin widening as he stared up lovesick at the lengthy teen.

"All mine?" Trowa asked, amused, realizing he was probably grinning like a lovesick fool, too, and not caring a bit. "You mean, I get to have Mr. Winner's attention for a full 24-hours?"

"I don't know about Mr. Winner," Quatre replied playfully, "but you can have Quatre until 11 o'clock tomorrow morning."

Trowa leaned over until their noses were almost touching. "I'll take it," he whispered. "Hungry?" At Quatre's enthusiastic nod Trowa turned and shouted across the tent. "Dylan! Tell Cathy I went out and won't be back till late!"

"Sure thing, Tro!"

And then he grabbed Quatre's hand and was pulling him out the tent.

They were almost clear of the circus grounds when Trowa twirled him into a tent, followed right behind him, and pulled him into his arms, his lips slashing across Quatre's. When he finally came up for air, they were both smiling and glowing. "Missed you," Trowa whispered.

"Missed you more," Quatre returned, leaning up and brushing his lips over Trowa's. "I hated watching you leave, even though I knew you'd be back."

"I hated having to leave." Trowa's hands moved over Quatre's back, pulling at the shirt tucked neatly into the belted jeans. "How 'bout that dinner?"

"I'd rather have you."

Trowa grinned, pulling reluctantly away from Quatre. "You already do."

Quatre reached up and pinned Trowa's chin, his thumb brushing against his lower lip as he brought Trowa's face down to his own. "Love you," he murmured against Trowa's lips.

"Love you, too."

 

 

Heero lifted the fine-spun ebony silken hair away from Wufei's neck and trailed tiny, teasing kisses over the pale caramel skin.

"Mmm... should you be pampering your 'prisoner'?" Wufei asked, stretching out against the bed, shifting into Heero's hands as they roamed over his back.

"You're my prisoner. I can treat you as I like," Heero rationalized. "And since I'm planning on screwing the daylights out of you again very soon, a little pampering now won't hurt."

Wufei moaned. "I can't do anymore, Heero..." He rested his cheek on his folded arms. "I don't know how you have anything left."

"I've had *lots* of practice," Heero replied, trailing a line of slow kisses down Wufei's spine until he was nibbling at the small of the Chinese man's back.

Wufei's legs eased apart with little encouragement from Heero. Lips teased the sensitive fleshy cheeks of Wufei's firm little ass, a hot tongue tracing a cooling slick path that left the Chinese man with goose bumps.

And then that same tongue was at his sore-stretched opening, teasing the puckered rim. Heero's hand snuck beneath Wufei, forcing one leg to ride up the bed, until his fist closed around his new lover's throbbing penis. His thumb rolled over the moist slit as his fingers squeezed and massaged the stiffening length.

Heero's tongue pressed forward, pulling a whimper from the man under him.

"Heero..."

He thrust his tongue inside the other man, lapping at the cherry flavor of the special lube mixing with the distinct flavor of his own semen along with something else. Something musky that was wholly Chang Wufei.

The man beneath him was panting, tiny cries begging for release. Heero wanted nothing more at that moment than to grant Wufei that release. He quickened the pace of his hand, sliding his palm down to roll over the tightly held sac. Wufei's strangled cried marked his orgasm, his body tensing with it, before going limp.

Heero smiled as he nipped one buttock cheek. It wasn't even noon yet, and they still had all night...

 

 

Dinner was a pizza followed by a movie and a stroll around town. By the time they made their way back to the circus grounds it was past late.

"I can stay at a hotel," Quatre offered, eyeing the size of the trailer Trowa led him back to. Trowa, however, turned around, placed a finger over Quatre's lips, pointed over to a nearby trailer and leaned in closer to Quatre. "Catherine's a light sleeper," he warned, grinning against Quatre's ear as he nuzzled the soft skin. "So we have to be really quiet." He pulled Quatre completely into the trailer and immediately into his arms. "Think you can?" he challenged.

Quatre nipped back at Trowa's lips, his arms encircling Trowa's waist and plastering his body against him. "Is that a dare?" he growled.

"What would you do if I said 'yes'?" Trowa gasped as a hand slid over his backside, tracing the indent.

"Strip," Quatre ordered, moving back as well as they both broke apart long enough to shed their clothing-their fingers often tangling as they attempted to help the other in the process. Precious minutes later they were both naked, pressing back up against each other, arms ensnaring them in living, wriggling ropes of flesh. Quatre's mouth took Trowa's, just like his body was demanding to-hard, his tongue thrusting into that greedy mouth, that sucked him in-just like he knew this exquisite body would draw on him.

They stumbled into chairs and a table as they fumbled their way back toward the single bed. Trowa fell first, pulling Quatre down on top of him, wrapping his legs around those muscular hips-so many thought Quatre was skinny, puny, under all his layers of clothes. They couldn't be more wrong, Trowa knew. He shifted his hips forward, feeling that delicious presence of Quatre's engorged penis shifting against his ass. It took only a second of positioning before Quatre was sliding inside of him.

He almost screamed.

Quatre did moan-it was so good. An arm hitched under Trowa's leg, raising it higher as he pressed closer, burying himself deeper into that sweet, willing body. Their bodies slapped together with each straining thrust. Always so good. A cry left Trowa's throat as he came, wetness splattering over Quatre's stomach and chest. He paused, long enough for Trowa's climax to wind down, before reaching for his own, bucking against Trowa's hips, burying himself again and again and again until he thought he was going to scream with need.

And then Trowa's mouth was on his; Trowa's tongue pushing past his lips, sweeping deeply into his mouth. Fingers brushed against his nether opening, teasing him with their presence, and his body flared. If he screamed, he didn't know it. He didn't know anything beyond falling-exhausted, spent, happier than he could ever remember being-against Trowa's sweet, willing body, and then falling even farther, this time into sleep.

The next thing he was aware of was an unfamiliar woman's voice-"Trowa? Are you going to sleep all morning-Oh my God!"

 

 

In reality he could have stayed another day to finalize things, but he didn't want to. What he wanted was to get back to Earth as soon as possible. To get back to Heero... and Wufei.

It would take some thought adjustment, to be sure. It wouldn't just be the two of them, him and Heero, anymore. He was definitely attracted to Wufei. He'd always been somewhat drawn to the other boy-even with all his attitude and spunk. And, of course, Wufei had been his first...

Yes, he had loved Heero, but he'd also been drawn to Wufei. And obviously, Wufei had returned that attraction if events from the year previous could be taken as proof. Wufei had told him he loved Duo. But Duo had loved Heero...

He wouldn't lie-he refused to. It bothered him that no one had been able to find Wufei this last year. He knew Heero was searching for him, and knew from the other boy's silence that he hadn't found or heard anything of Wufei. He'd been both angry and relieved when Wufei had shown up two weeks ago.

Angry because he'd been hoodwinked and bamboozled into fighting for that twit, Dekim. Relieved because he was alive, if not exactly well.

He hadn't lied to Wufei the other night, either. He meant it when he told the other boy he loved him. It had taken him a year to realize it, but he did. After many talks with Heero, he realized the truth. It wasn't the same kind of love he felt for Heero-that burning need for the other boy that bordered on drug addiction-and maybe that's why he didn't recognize it at first. He needed Heero, plain and simple. He didn't even want to think about living without him-and despite what some might say, it wasn't just the sex, though that was damn good. It sounded like waxy poetry crap, but Duo really felt like Heero was a piece of him-a large chunk of his soul that he just couldn't live without. Where Wufei fit into that, Duo wasn't quite sure, but he was willing to try and find out.

With Wufei... His feelings for Wufei were a softer kind of love. Tender, respectful. An admiring love.

It would be interesting, if nothing else-this relationship they'd started. It seemed strange, though, to think of having two lovers. It was even stranger to think about what Heero and Wufei were possibly doing at this moment. And even if they weren't having sex right now, they would be eventually, or probably already had-and with a start, Duo realized he was feeling jealous and doubtful. What lf Heero liked sex with Wufei better than sex with him? What if they decided they didn't need Duo in their relationship? They had each other, what could he possibly provide them? Sure they had both told him they loved him at one time or another, but... what if Wufei realized he didn't really love Duo and left? Would Heero blame the failure on him?

Duo sighed, shifting in the uncomfortable coach seat, debating whether or not to let Heero know he was coming back earlier than expected as fears and doubts continued to plague him.

 

 

"Catherine!" shouted Trowa, sitting up in the bed so fast, Quatre almost went sprawling to the floor, butt-naked.

"Oh, god," the furiously blushing young woman repeated, holding a hand up to her eyes and turning back around to face the door she'd just come through. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you---had company," she swallowed hastily before rushing back out the trailer door in high fluster.

"Cathy! No wait!" Trowa called, ready to dash after her, but Quatre grabbed his wrist, hushing him.

"Let her go," Quatre hissed, "Or have you forgotten that neither one of us is exactly dressed?"

Trowa was still watching the door-but then he relaxed and looked down at a precariously perched and very naked Quatre. He pulled Quatre back onto the bed and sighed. "You're right; I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize, love," the blond replied, leaning over and lightly kissing Trowa's lips. "Let's just get dressed and then we can go find her. Deal?"

Trowa nodded but didn't answer. It was only after they were both dressed and ready to leave that Quatre hesitated and asked, "Ah, Trowa? Did you tell Catherine that you were...? I mean, that we were...?"

Trowa held the other's eyes for a moment before slowly shaking his head. Quatre exhaled rather loudly. "I wasn't trying to hide," Trowa said, still holding Quatre's gaze. "There just never seemed to be the right time to discuss my sexual preferences with her."

"I understand," Quatre replied gently, taking Trowa's hand in his. "May I suggest now as a good time?" He teased softly, smiling up at his love.

"You don't need to come along," Trowa offered, swallowing.

"It's okay," Quatre smiled wanly. "We're going to have to learn to get along at some time."

Catherine was a bit cool towards them when they knocked on her door. When Trowa told her that he would be leaving the circus to return to Earth with Quatre. Her stormy eyes had flickered first to Trowa, then to Quatre, before looking away again. "I see," she's replied.

Trowa had packed up his few belongings and left the key to his trailer with Catherine before turning to leave with Quatre.

"Will we every see you again?" she called to him, her voice hoarse from fighting back tears and a swollen throat.

Trowa turned back to her and hugged her tightly. "I'll be in touch," he promised.

And then he left. Left the circus that had provided him with a cover during the war and a home and family in its aftermath. He was moving on with his life. Starting new.

With Quatre.

 

 

As pleasurable as sex was, there was only so much you could do before your body refused to do more. During those times, Heero and Wufei ate and slept, but mostly, they talked. They talked about the war and how they'd gotten involved in it; they talked about their life before the war; they talked about computers and philosophies, healing remedies and foods, mobile suits and gundams... but most of all, they talked about Duo-what they loved about him, when they first realized how they felt about him, what it was like being with him.

"It's strange, you know," Wufei announced that afternoon as they lounged lazily on the couch, staring out into the space of their thoughts. Wufei's feet were tucked under beneath Heero's bottom while Heero's feet sat on Wufei's lap.

"What is?" Heero asked, lifting an elbow to look out at Wufei. "My feet?"

The Chinese boy smiled and shook his head, searching for the right words to voice his thoughts with. "No, this... this thing you've done. When Duo returns, things wont be like this," he said quietly, looking not at the floor but some point far beyond it.

"Yes they will," Heero countered, sitting up and reaching over to clasp Wufei's shoulder. "Only we'll get to share this with Duo."

Wufei looked up at him steadily, breathing heavy with his uncertainties. "I... don't know if I can do this," he whispered his admission.

Heero slid his feet to the floor and dragged Wufei across the couch and into his lap, spooning him, wrapping his arms tightly around the other boy and holding him against his chest. He rested his chin on Wufei's shoulder as they both faced the crackling fire. "You love Duo, right?" Wufei nodded, his loose dark hair teasing Heero's throat. A hand slipped beneath Wufei's brief shirt, fanning across his taut stomach. "And you like me, right?" Heero asked.

For a moment it seemed like the other boy wasn't going to answer, and then, slowly, Wufei nodded and voiced and whispered, "Yes."

Heero slid them down together until they were both laying on the couch. "Then don't worry. Things will work out." He nuzzled some of Wufei's hair out of the way and then rested his check against Wufei's. "Duo's coming back tonight," he told the Chinese boy. "Tonight it will be just the three of us."

Wufei started to get up, but Heero held him down. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Wufei hissed, not bothering to struggle against Heero's grip.

"I only found out while you were taking a shower," the other boy replied. "He left a message saying that he hoped we were doing okay and he was coming back earlier than expected." They were silent for a moment, and then Heero offered, "If you don't want to do this... you don't have to."

He knew what the other boy meant. Knew what was going to be expected of him tonight. The three of them would have sex together. There would be no slow build-up for them. No gradual getting-to-know you phase. They would be thrown into an immediate physical relationship. Sure they had known each other for two years; sure, they could have been considered friends at one time... But they lacked the normal relationship buildup, the courtship phase. Reviewing missions and fighting together in battles hardly counted as a date.

It would be like kissing on the first date, moving too fast.

On the other hand... it wasn't like they hadn't already had sex...

'You don't have to,' Heero said, but he wanted to. A part of him really, really wanted to. Wanted to compare reality to memories-the memories that had been following him for the past year. If his recent activities with Heero were any indication, then the memories held nothing but phantom colors against the bright spectrum of reality. And Wufei desperately wanted to fall into that reality, to bathe in it.

"It's okay," he answered, swallowing back another lump of fear. "What did you have in mind...?"

 

 

His longhaired demon-lover was fast asleep when he slipped into the silent room they shared. He wasn't surprised-it was, after all, well after midnight and past experience told him that, without a reason-and a very good one at that-Duo Maxwell wouldn't come out of bed unless he had to. The dark-haired teen was smiling softly in the darkness, staring down at the muddled heap on the bed that was his lover.

So beautiful... so beautiful... Duo looked like an angel, to him, a surreal being that'd come into his life and filled it with love and laughter. As he watched, Duo mumbled Heero's name and curled in around the other's pillow, burrowing his face into the casing. Long, night-darkened hair lay in limp, wet clumps, freed from its braid.

Heero smiled. Absolutely beautiful... He kneeled onto the bed near Duo's hip-the other boy shifted and mumbled something unintelligible. Heero's grin widened. Even in sleep, his partner was aware of his presence-he knew if it had been anyone else, the longhaired boy would have had his gun pointed directly at Heero several minutes ago.

The instincts of a trained killer at rest.

Fingers brushed over Duo's shoulder... down his arm, back up to trail down his back.

"Duo...? Come with me," Heero said softly as he worked his arms around and beneath the sleeping man.

"Heero..." the other sighed, still asleep though he snuggled willing into Heero's arms.

Again, Heero smiled and he dropped a little kiss on the sleeping boy's lips before picking both Duo and his blanket up and walking back out of the room. He carried his partner down the staircase and out the back door; following the same path he'd led Wufei only two short days ago. It wasn't long before they reached the hunter's lodge set back away from the main house. Wufei was waiting for them at the door.

"Are you sure about this?" the Chinese youth asked, holding both the front door and then the door to the bedroom open for them.

Heero laid Duo out on the bed; talking softly to the sleeping boy the whole time he secured Duo to the bed. He dropped another soft kiss on Duo's lips before turning and ushering Wufei out before him.

"Yes," Heero answered after the door was closed behind them. "Now, you have two choices. You can come to bed with me and we can go to sleep..." He advanced on the other boy. "Or... you can come to bed with me, and we can have mad, crazy sex, and *then* go to sleep..."

Wufei's back brushed the wall. "Gee, what a choice," he replied, already lifting his face for Heero's kiss.

 

 

One minute he was enjoying a completely illicit dream revolving around Heero... and the next, he was awake. Just like that. He yawned and stretched, annoyed at the still-darkness outside...

Only, his arms didn't move.

No, that wasn't right. They'd only move so far-which wasn't very far at all.

"What the F-"

It only took a moment to register, and another second for surprise to be replaced with anger.

It wasn't still dark outside, like he'd assumed-he was blindfolded. Another wiggle of his wrists confirmed that, yes, they were bound to *something*, and from the softness under him, he had a pretty good idea it was a bed. Whoever had bound him knew what he was doing, too, and Duo had a *very* *excellent* guess who that "he" was.

"HEERO!!" he shouted, kicking out with his legs-which *hadn't* been tied down. Good, he could kick the bastard when he came. "God dammit, HEERO! You Sonofab-" he panted, twisting at his bindings. "I'll *GET* you for THIS!!!"

For all his struggling, the binds didn't loosen, nor, for that matter, did the blindfold. But then, he really shouldn't be surprised, should he? Considering who'd put him here in this position in the first place.

Duo froze.

Wufei had already been awake and making some coffee when he first heard Duo's shouts. Cautiously, he had approached the room Heero and he had left the other the night before. He met Heero at the door.

The Japanese pilot offered him a wry smile and nodded-clearly not at all surprised *nor* intimidated by Duo's curses. He motioned for Wufei to go in first, but snatched at the hand that reached for the doorknob. Surprised, Wufei shot him a look and Heero held a finger to his lips, reminding him to be quiet. Taking a deep breath, Wufei nodded and then pushed open the door.

It was completely silent in the room when they entered, and Wufei was sure the others could hear as his breath caught.

In his struggles, Duo's long hair had managed to fly away from the two wet partitions Heero had left it in last night to almost everywhere. Shiny and clean, the air-dried hair was a cascade of waves that caressed and framed his face, his raised arms, his bare chest and torso... A rosy flush darkened all the bared skin, straight down to that semi-stiff protrusion at his groin.

He hadn't noticed the other boy was naked when Heero brought him in last night. Wufei felt himself harden instantly at the sight.

He approached the bed on silent, hesitant feet until he stood over it, looking down at the intense, slightly frowning naked young man.

"Heero...?" Duo asked, confused.

Wordlessly, Wufei shook his head, forgetting for the moment that the other boy was prevented from seeing him by the black blindfold.

"Heero, I'm gonna-"

Wufei reached out and touched Duo's bare chest with his fingertips, sliding them down until his entire palm caressed the warm, smooth skin. Duo gasped. The explorative touch danced down the center of Duo's chest, down to his washboard stomach, up over half the six pack, up over one side, the hard nipple bud teasing his palm... across to its mate, circling before drifting down, lower, over the second half of rippling muscles, lower... lower, smoothing over the stretch of stomach leading lower, to that tiny thatch of golden brown hair that circled Duo's quickly rising penis.

Wufei's fingers bypassed that delight in favor of one lithe, yet muscular, thigh... hardness encased with silk.

It had been so long... Wufei thought he had remembered what it was like, touching Duo. He was wrong. Memories didn't do the truth justice. He bit back a groan; from the head of the bed, Duo whimpered.

Wufei leaned over and breathed in the intoxicating scent of the longhaired boy. Uncontrollably, his tongue flicked out and swiped against Duo's thigh; loose soft black hair fell over his shoulders and teased Duo's skin.

"Oh, God!" Duo's hips jerked.

Wufei's lips trailed lazily upwards, nibbling, tasting, raining tiny kisses all over. Wufei kneeled between Duo's spread legs, leaning forward as his hands skimmed up Duo's sides.

"Oh God!" Duo groaned, panting. "Please..." His lips formed "Wufei", but only the second half found voice. "'Fei, please..."

A tongue flickered over one hard nub and Duo's wrists strained at his bindings. His hips and torso arched off the bed, straining for contact, and he rubbed his straining arousal against Wufei's warm stomach, hidden beneath a shirt. Hands worked beneath him, coming between him and the bed, teasing his shoulder blades and arms all the way up, around his wrists until fingers threaded with fingers. Lips ghosted across his throat and Duo was past desperate before those lips ever made it to his.

The longhaired boy used the only thing available to him-his legs-to hold the other pilot to him as they lost themselves in a frenzied mating of teeth, tongue, lips, and breath. Long, muscled legs wrapped around Wufei's waist and hooked around thighs, pulling at the soft-cloth pants, tying the Chinese boy. "Untie me?" Duo pleaded softly against Wufei's lips.

Wufei hid his face in Duo's throat, swallowing back a growl as his hips rocked into Duo's, their erections grinding against each other. Heero had told him not to untie the other boy. He squeezed Duo's hands in apology and rained tiny kisses over the erratic pulse under his lips.

"Please! Fei!"

"Shh, shh," the Chinese boy tried to sooth the frantic boy beneath him. "Shh..."

A hand ghosted down the center of his back and Wufei jerked, looking up to find Heero standing over them, watching them with burning eyes. Wufei hesitated, caught in a moment of doubt-What the hell was he doing? These two men were together, and he...

Heero's hand threaded into Wufei's loose hair, pulling his head back and up before crushing his mouth in a savage kiss that numbed Wufei's doubts. The kiss softened, turned almost teasing in its gentleness. Wufei was in a blissful haze of desire when the Japanese boy pulled away.

"We don't have to," he whispered, so low Wufei could barely hear him over Duo's keening pants.

"Heero? Heero? Is that you? Goddamn you! I'm going to get you back for this! Don't think I won't!" Duo shouted, yanking again at his bound arms.

Wufei leaned back, kneeling still between Duo's legs as they wrapped around him, and Heero leaned in. The coffee-haired boy brushed Duo's swollen lips with the pad of his thumb. They parted for him and the digit slid into that hot, moist cavern. Intense, lustful blue eyes turned on Wufei as Heero began to pump his thumb in and out of Duo's mouth.

"Strip," he ordered, his other hand moving down Duo's chest and stomach to wrap around the boy's turgid penis.

Wufei realized Heero was already nude and blushed. Of course, he thought. You don't crawl onto a bed to have sex dressed. He felt a moment of embarrassment as he pulled his tank top off and reached for his pants-and there he stopped. He couldn't get his pants off with Duo's legs around him like that.

Heero was nibbling at Duo's ear and wasn't paying any attention to Wufei. The ebony-haired boy struggled for several minutes, trapped. "Heero..."

"Mmm... Duo... spread your legs for us..." the other boy ordered without looking as his hand abandoned Duo's penis to reach beneath for the sensitive sac.

Duo's legs fell apart magically and Wufei couldn't get his pants off quick enough. He grabbed for the bottle of lubricant Heero had left on the bed near him and poured a generous amount into his palm. The slippery liquid ran down his fingers as he teased the puckered ring of muscle of Duo's ass. Around Heero's thumb, Duo groaned wantonly. Wufei slid a finger passed and Duo's groan melted into one of satisfaction.

Heero watched from the corner of an eye as Wufei prepared his longhaired love-it was a highly arousing sight. He wanted to lean down and wrap his lips around Duo's weeping cock as it danced and begged for attention. He wanted to kiss Wufei's slightly parted lips as the Chinese boy lost himself in the feel of Duo's insides. He knew from experience what it felt like to be stroking those velvety walls.

He had it set in his mind how he wanted this first time between them to be and he was determined to keep to the plan. There would be plenty of time later to do all the things he wanted to do to these two beautiful men in his grasp.

Wufei was looking at him, watching him through hooded eyes, Heero realized. And he couldn't resist. He leaned forward and stole another kiss. "It's okay," he whispered, brushing Wufei's cheek with his lips. "Go at your own pace."

"Mmmnnn," Duo said around Heero's thumb, calling to them. Grinning, Heero ghosted one more kiss across Wufei's lips before bending down and replacing his thumb with his tongue to quiet Duo for just a bit longer. Duo's legs had found their way around Wufei once again and were pulling at the boy, begging him to come nearer even as his arms pulled at their restraints.

Wufei was caught between want and fear.

_~"You've invited a dragon into your bed. Do you regret your actions?"~_

_~"I... I trust you, Chang Wufei. I trust you."~ "You might be foolish to do so."~_

_~ "Do you... regret..." "No. No, I don't regret it." "I am glad." ~_

The Chinese boy growled--actually growled--releasing his tightly held control. His body pressed down fully into Duo's-his aching shaft pressed into Duo. So hard. So strong. So good. So delicious. He rocked his hips against Duo. The other boy groaned and returned a thrust of his own. He pressed farther, slipping into that tight heat, and Wufei thought he might scream. Duo's muscles clamped around him and wrangled a startled groan from the Chinese boy.

"Please, please, Heero..." Duo moaned, his body adjusting quickly to Wufei's presence. "Untie me. Let me touch you... Please..."

"Not yet," the Japanese boy replied against Duo's lips. He retrieved his hand from between Duo's legs, rubbing it in soothing circles up the boy's torso. "Soon, Duo, soon," he promised, moving to straddle his waist. "Wufei? Slick me."

Wufei's dark eyes blinked open, recovering from his moment of hazed bliss, and noticed Heero's ass hovering before him. Trying not to move too much, he reached for the lube bottle he'd abandoned with shaking hands. Duo wasn't helping much though as he took every opportunity to wiggle, thrust, and squeeze against him. Wufei didn't know how much longer her could hold out without giving in and thrusting against the longhaired boy.

By the time he was working three fingers in and out of Heero's ass, Wufei was panting against Heero's neck and shoulder-just form the strain of *re*straining.

Heero seemed to be taking it the best out of all three of them-but it was just a façade. The dark-haired boy was doing everything possible not to cum right then and there what with Duo beneath him and Wufei behind him. His senses were going into overload with delicious abandon. It didn't matter how many times in the last two days he'd ejaculated. Just the sight, the smell, the *feel* of Duo beneath him, Wufei behind him, those fingers fucking him...

Heero groaned, "Ready," and leaned forward.

"Let me see you," Duo panted. "At *least* let me see you! Please, Heero!"

"Position him," Heero gasped. His hot breath puffing over Duo's chest and throat was maddening.

Wufei was afraid to move, feeling more and more like an interloper between two lovers.

"Position him," Heero repeated. He looked back over his shoulder, eyes meeting Wufei's. "Please...?"

Hesitantly, Wufei reached under Heero, his fingers wrapping around Duo's penis and pulling it back towards him. Heero lowered himself down, seating himself completely on the turgid flesh with a gratified grunt.

"HEERO! Please!" Duo was whimpering beneath them.

Heero moved his hips, rocking into Duo, rocking Duo into Wufei. Wufei gasped. Duo cried.

"Oh my God! You are *so* going to pay for this!"

"Shh," Heero whispered gently, clenching around Duo. He leaned back against Wufei, resting his head back on the other's shoulder. "You're scaring Wufei. He thinks you're not enjoying yourself."

Duo's breath left him with a silent cry. "Please... Please, just let me see you...?"

With a sigh of resignation, Heero leaned forward and tugged and released the blindfold, tossing it onto the nightstand before leaning back against Wufei. "Touch me, Fei," he whispered, hooded eyes watching Duo's face.

Without needing to be told twice, Wufei wrapped his arms around Heero. He looked over the other man's shoulder to see Duo staring at them, hungrily licking his lips. And then he thought he understood what Heero was doing.

Experimentally, Wufei brushed his fingertips back and forth over Heero's pert, brown nipple, his other hand skimming down that taunt stomach. He rocked his hips forward. Both men groaned under his influence.

Heero's head rolled back onto Wufei's shoulders. "Fuck us. Please, Fei."

It was like the gunshot that signaled the beginning of a race. Instinctively, Wufei's hips snapped, his pelvis picking out a rhythm and pumping it into the other two boys.

Each body fought for its release.

Heero thrust down. Wufei thrust up. Duo screamed as he was caught between them.

Heero snatched up Wufei's hand and both's fingers wrapped around Heero's weeping cock, pumping it.

"Come for me, Heero," Wufei rasped in his ear. The Japanese youth obeyed with the same determination he gave to any mission; the milkish semen spurting up to cover their hands and Heero's stomach. Beneath them, Duo screamed as Heero's muscles clenched tightly with release, clamping down around Duo's sensitive penis still trapped within Heero's body, coaxing Duo to join Heero in release. The longhaired man did so joyously. Wufei's muffled shout was lost into Heero's throat, swallowed up by the sweaty flesh.

They stayed like that, panting, too tired, too sensitive to move... until Duo bonelessly, half-heartedly, tugged at his restraints again. "Will you *please* untie me now?"

Smiling, tired, Heero fell forward, knocking the wind from his partner. "You look *good* tied up," he murmured as his fingers worked up Duo's arms to the fastenings.

"I'm sure you say that to all the pretty boys you tie to your bed." Duo's now freed arms threaded around Heero's sweaty back and tugged, pulling Heero down against his side as his lips worshiped Heero's. The Japanese boy moved there with practiced ease, slipping off Duo and molding against his side, an arm thrown around the other's waist and dropped a final tiny kiss on Duo's shoulder.

Duo's legs had stopped trying to choke the life from Wufei and now just casually rubbed against him. Duo's fingers played in Heero's coffee-colored hair as he stared down his body towards the Chinese boy still kneeling between his thighs. "Hey," he said almost shyly in greeting.

"Hello," Wufei replied, torn between laughing at the oddity of the moment, or crying.

"Have you two boys been having fun without me?" he teased.

"Missed you," Heero mumbled, turning his face into Duo's shoulder.

Duo smiled. "Missed you, too, koi," he answered, dropping a kiss on top of the head pillowed on his chest.

"I should leave you two alone," Wufei began, feeling even more embarrassed as he started to pull away from the couple.

Duo's legs tightened around him instantly. "Didn't you miss me, Wufei?" he asked, frowning. "Even a *little*?" He gave the other a pout. "I mean, I *know* Heero can be very demanding at times, but... still..."

Large, hooded, violet-blue eyes looked up into onyx orbs; there was a shine in those bright gemstone-like eyes that Wufei was afraid to understand. "I missed you," he answered softly.

The frown was instantly replace with a grin. "Good." Duo patted the mattress on the other side of him. "There's some space here, you know..."

Wufei gingerly crawled out over Duo's legs and sat at the edge of the bed, looking down at the couple. "Are you sure?"

Duo grinned and dragged the other boy down next to him, curling in, around, and over Wufei until he was snuggled just right. Behind him, Heero moved up, meshing their bodies together and throwing an arm over Duo and Wufei's waists.

"There now, all comfy," the chestnut haired boy declared.

Wufei was at a state to disagree, too tense to relax, and long after the two other boys fell asleep, Wufei remained awake, wondering what the hell he'd gotten himself into and if it wasn't going to be the death of him, yet.

 

End Part 2

Andrea Readwolf


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Promise Of The Rings   
> Part 4 of the Dance of the Heart Arc, A Matter of Heart Series 
> 
> 25-Mar-2002
> 
>  Standard Disclaimer Applies.

 

 

**Promise of the Rings by Andrea Readwolf**

**Part Three: Mission to Mars**

 

He stepped out of their shuttlecraft into the motley spaceport and looked left to right; his ice blue eyes sweeping over the splatterings of people in the plaza. The Hub was alive with bustling people moving to and fro. To his trained eye he recognized a majority as ex-soldiers, now without a job. Others were possible convicts, mercenaries, and other undesirables in a world that was looking towards peace. Most of the scientists and adventurers who had originally ventured back out into the Mars colony were holed away in their labs or running transports out to the other colony clusters.

They had arrived at Damara space station in orbit above Mars three days ago in time to celebrate the New Year’s coming with other people. After four long days in cramped quarters upon the space shuttle Noin had procured for them, they were both relieved to get out and stretch their legs, take several long, hot showers, and eat people-prepped food that didn’t just come out of a rations pack. Noin had used the opportunity of the station’s long distance communications relay to send a message to her family back on Earth, telling them she was all right and wishing them well in the New Year. He had briefly considered sending a similar well-wishing greeting to his sister, but then discarded the idea. It would be safer for her and him if he remained lost to her. At least for now.

They had both agreed to hold out on contacting "Mother" until they knew for sure what they were going to do. Looking around him at the Hub, he thought "janitorial duty" was a good bet.

"Hey! We’re all set!"

Hands slipped over his waist, a body twisting around his until his long-time friend, Lucrezia Noin, was standing before him, waving a data pad and two ID cards in front of his face. Dressed in matching dark gray cargo pants and black tees, the two of them blended in perfectly with the population around them.

He reached up and took the ID card she tossed at him and read over the printed bio. One pale blond eyebrow arched with mock query. "Zechs Merquise?" he asked.

Noin shrugged as she turned away, slipping her own identi-card around her neck. "I figured it was better to stick as close to the truth as possible," she answered, holding the data card over her shoulder for him to take. "That way we won’t have a problem sticking to any cover story, you know? Besides, ‘Zechs Merquise’ isn’t as popular as ‘Milliardo Peacecraft’ nor as well known as ‘The Lightening Count’." She smirked at him, her dark blue eyes twinkling up at him. "And only a handful of people knew they were all only one single man," she added with a wink.

"You found us rooms?" he changed the subject from his many aliases, looking down at the data card.

"Mmhmm," she continued, leading him down what was obviously the main street of the colony. "Space is pretty limited here, as you can imagine—"

"This shows only one room," Zechs pointed out, still reading through the data contents.

"Yep," she turned a corner, not breaking speed. "We were lucky we got one with two beds and a refresher." She looked up at the buildings around them. "It’s amazing, isn’t it?" asked Noin. "Man has not only traveled out into the stars, but to another planet."

"I guess with the war, the Mars Project didn’t get the funds it needed," Zechs noted, stepping out of the way of a pile of garbage left out in the middle of the street. "Reminds me a bit of the barracks on X32999J."

"That nice, huh?" Noin grinned at him, stopping in front of a rather rundown-looking building and motioning for him to enter in front of her.

"Oh, wonderful," Zechs replied dryly, sighing before palming the building door entrance to open.

 

 

Sally Po was twisting the last ends of her unruly hair together as she exited the suite and was brought up short. Sitting in her chair, unmoving, staring directly at her, was the redheaded girl-child of Trieze Khushrenada’s. "Hello, Mariemeia," Sally said, pasting a smile on her face despite her slight embarrassment. She cleared her throat. "You’re up early today. Having a good morning?"

The girl-child remained quiet in her chair, hands folded in her lap as her blue eyes flashed with silent remarks. If only Sally was a mind reader and not an MD. "Would you like to speak with Anne?" she asked, reaching back for the doorknob to call the other woman.

"You stayed here last night," the girl stated coolly, her light voice unaccusing.

Sally’s hands dropped back to her sides as she faced the chair-confined child squarely. "Yes, I did."

"You slept in Lady Une’s room?" only the slight lifting at the end indicated the small questioning remark.

For a moment, Sally debated her answer. It wasn’t that she was ashamed or embarrassed about her relationship with the other woman—they had made no overt efforts to hide their involvement with one another to anyone, despite being somewhat conservative in their actions in public. Only—this was a child. A very mature child, yes, but still a child. And Anne’s ward. Relationships didn’t always work out—Sally had been in enough of them to know that truth for herself no matter what sex you were dating—and her relationship with the Preventer woman was more… cautious than others. This was Anne’s first… not to mention it was not even a month old. Anything could still happen—

"Yes, she did," a soft but strong voice answered from behind Sally, removing the decision to answer. "Does that bother you, Mariemeia?"

The child’s head fell to one shoulder as she continued to watch them. "Dekim told me—" she began only to stop herself. "No," she answered after another moment. "I don’t think so."

She smiled at them, and beside Sally, Anne smiled back. "Good," the petite woman replied, slipping her hand into Sally’s. "Because Sally makes me very happy and it is important to be happy in Life, Mariemeia."

The redheaded child digested her words for another moment before nodding in agreement. "The doctors are here, Lady Une," she finally said, fulfilling her reason for being there. "They have asked for your presence during their examination."

"Of course." Anne’s hand slipped from Sally’s and she went to her position between the handlebars of the wheelchair.

"I will see you ladies later, then," Sally said, flicking a braided tail over her shoulder.

"You may come, too, Miss Po, if you would like," the child offered softly, shyly.

"I’ll have to take you up on that offer one day, Marie," Sally said, smiling at the girl. "But not today, I’m afraid. There are still some things I need to check into."

"Are you leaving?" Anne asked, sounding somewhat surprised.

"Yes, for a little while." Sally stood watching the two other women, her knuckles resting on her hips. "It shouldn’t take me too long though. I should be back later tonight. Tomorrow at the latest."

She hesitated a moment and then reached out, touching Anne’s arm gently as her lips ghosted over her cheek. "See you then," she added, pulling back and turning away to head off in the opposite direction.

"Be careful," Anne told her.

"What fun would that be?" Sally returned with a wink over her shoulder.

 

 

"Take a look at this," Noin called, turning the view screen around for Zechs to see as the tall blond young man stepped out of the refresher, moisture beads speckling his well-formed chest and torso as he held a somewhat inadequate white towel around his waist and showing a great deal of well-muscled thigh in the process.

The brunette didn’t even seem to notice the practically naked god in her presence as she pointed at something on the screen. "Five transports in the last two weeks," she announced, looking up at him and not even blinking at the state of his undress. "I bet you those transports were carrying more than just foods and supplies."

"Not unless you’re counting men as supplies," Zechs agreed. "So we know there’s a high influx of ex-soldiers coming to Mars. Last time I checked, that wasn’t a crime, Luce. They’re not doing anything wrong."

"Yet," the woman growled.

"‘Yet,’" he agreed again, heading for the locker that served as his dressing closet.

"Zechs," Noin began, standing up to follow him over to the bed—only to stop, turn around, and close her eyes as the little white towel dropped to the floor. "We’re talking about people who were used to structure, routines—"

"Responsibility."

"Direct chain of command. What do you think these people are going to do now that they’ve lost that command?"

"Live normal lives?" he suggested, squeezing her shoulder as he pushed past her wearing only low, hip-hugging faded blue denims.

She snorted and followed him back over to the table where they’d set up their computer console. "Yeah, right." She grumbled. "This place is a rebellion’s nest waiting to happen." She crossed her arms over her chest, leaning back against the dinette counter that served as their kitchen, watching him as he skimmed through the same files she’d been reading. The small frown that pulled at his thin lips was enough to tell her that he saw the same thing she did, and he didn’t like it much either. "It’s only a question of ‘when.’"

Zechs’s frown deepened. "Never," he answered, leaning back into the chair and watching her now. "Did you get that message off to your friend?"

"Sally," she supplied the name, nodding. "The Preventers will know where we our in under 24 hours. In another 36 we should have some definite orders."

"Hn." Zechs scanned through another file that was open on the desktop. "They don’t have much of a security force here, do they?"

"None," Noin winced, pinching the bridge of her nose. "They were too concerned with staying alive and finding the answers of the universe to worry about something so simple as a government or set of laws. Most of them still consider themselves an extension of Earth."

Zechs’s face darkened into a deeper scowl. "No official government. No official protection. No good," he mumbled to himself.

 

 

The reason for Sally Po going into work that morning was not because she was *supposed* to be there. No, she went into work because she *needed* to be there. She needed to know what happened to her friend, Lucretia Noin. She needed to know the other woman was all right. She needed to find out where she had disappeared.

Sally knew the other woman was with Zechs Marquise, and she knew he was a damn fine soldier… but she didn’t really trust the man. After all, the last time they’d come even close to meeting he was attacking earth and she was helping cram Peacemillion down Libra’s throat.

‘Damn fine ship. Shame it had to be sacrificed.’

Sally sighed, rubbing her sore eyes with tense fingers. Somewhere. Somewhere Noin had to have left a clue. Somewhere.

The problem was, between Earth, the colonies, the moon base, Mars, and the hundred or so satellites sprinkled between the sun and the asteroid belt… There were a lot of somewheres the pair could be hiding at.

She would have called Wufei in to help her search… if she thought it would be any good. After two weeks of vacation, he was probably going as stir crazy as she was. The Chinese woman smiled briefly—it was funny to know him so well, after only a week of being partnered to him.

"He reminds me of my grandfather," she realized aloud, remembering fondly the old stubborn goat who had to have his way all the time because his way was the only proper and right way to do things—or so he insisted. Sally remembered how her grandmother would bow and nod to him before going on to do whatever it was she wanted. The petite woman had smiled and winked at Sally once, leaning over to whisper to the woman-child, "The trick to dealing with an obstinate man is to make him believe what you want to do is what *he* wants you to do."

Sally hadn’t really understood her grandmother’s words when the old woman had spoken them, but she had remembered them.

Wufei…

She wasn’t quite sure what to make of the younger man. She’d laughed at his high opinion of himself when she’d fist meet him, almost two years back. He’d saved her troop of guerilla fighters from certain death. He and his gundam, Nataku. Justice. Together they had fought off OZ forces.

All his talk of "weak" and "strong" and "justice"—he was a swordsman stepped out from one of her old storybooks her grandfather would read her sometimes. She had been relieved to meet another gundam pilot whose integrity was so high; she’d been saddened that it was another one so young. Maybe she’d even been a little bit attracted to him—or maybe it was just the situation they were in. Besides, he was way too young for her. If she was going to go for a guy, she’d much prefer him to be older than herself.

"Hot damn," Sally whispered, the words dropping form her lips seconds after the message on the screen registered. She quickly hit the print icon and shut off the computer while the printer roared to life.

 

 

Anne thanked the last doctor before shutting the door in his face. She heaved a sigh of relief before turning around to return to the solar where she’d left Mariemeia moments before.

But the child wasn’t there.

Anne stiffened, the trill of worry exciting her rather frazzled nerves and, as calmly as possible, she called out for the child. "Mariemeia?"

"Over here," a soft, subdued voice called out from the adjoining room.

Anne followed it into the library where the two French doors were thrown open, allowing soft snowflakes to drift inside. Mariemeia sat in her chair, on the inside looking out.

"It’s a very nice day today, Lady Une. Do you think we may go outside for a little bit?"

"I—I think that may be arranged," Anne began, tentatively approaching the chair, unsure what to say or do for the child, and very uncomfortable because of that uncertainty.

A tiny face turned to the side, and Anne could see tear lines glistening down her rosy cheeks.

"Mariemeia?" the older girl asked, genuinely worried about the child.

"Lady… what’s wrong with me?" the girl’s voice quivered with scared tears.

"Nothing!" Anne insisted, leaning over the bulky wheelchair to squeeze the girl’s shoulders. "Nothing is wrong with you, Mariemeia. Didn’t the doctors just say that you are healing remarkably well?"

"They think I’m a freak!" the child shouted, her face

"No!" Anne cried, circling around the chair and kneeling before the little redheaded girl, leaning forward to wrap her arms around the crying child. "No they don’t."

"Then why do they want to do all those test on me!" the redhead struggled against the older girl. "They think I’m unnatural! That’s what the one man said! You heard ‘im!"

"No, Mariemeia, no," Anne soothed, crying now, too. "They think your rapid recovery is miraculous. They think you’re a miracle." Anne sniffled and pulled back, looking into the red, tear strewn face as she wiped her own tears away and gingerly pushed some plastered red bangs away from Mariemeia’s face. "And so do I."

Mariemeia struggled to regain herself, sniffling and swallowing madly. "Please don’t leave me, Lady?" she asked softly, sounding very much like the broken child she was.

The older girl hugged her again, laughing slightly as she promised, "Never."

 

 

The natural gravity of Mars is different from Earth. On satellites or colonies, the structure’s rotation combines with anti-gravity dispensers to imitate Earth’s gravity. Most of the cluster colony sites on Mars didn’t bother with such things as ‘anti-gravi dispensers,’ choosing instead to deal with Mars’s natural gravity.

These people were the longtime residents—people who had been living on Mars for five, ten, twenty (and one woman, fifty) years. These were the scientists and researchers who had come to Mars to study and explore. Compared to the current population—well, even with the recent influx of people to the red planet, the scientific population still out-numbered the newbies to the area. It was just that the scientists and researchers were all hidden away in their own private holes somewhere.

Noin and Zechs were posing as a couple—true to the nature of people who didn’t want questions asked of them, very few people questioned the pair on anything more than their names and whether or not they were Earth-born. It was because of this lack of questioning that the pair was able to travel to the nine different cluster colonies situated around the central Hub colony. Tunnels connected each cluster colony with two other clusters and a third tunnel connected the clusters to the Hub. Some of these tunnels were a plexi-glass-like tube that laid on top the surface of the red planet and allowed its occupants to witness the Martian landscape. Others were imbedded into Mars, buried meters below the surface. Only three of the tunnels had installed automated people-movers. Two of the tunnels were out of service for repair, and the remaining four had to be walked.

There were nine cluster colonies in all on Mars, including the original one, the first one—the Hub. The Hub was the only colony large enough to support a shuttle-port and was a person’s first stop on their visit to Mars—and too often, their last. Easily the largest of the nine colonies, the Hub had expanded over the years, encompassing all the different research facilities housed on Mars until several years back when someone decided to house the research facilities at different sites. The building of the eight other colonies had been a slow process, and some were under construction despite people now living there. The Mars colonies were next to flat out broke, depending on the money their benefactors were willing to send in for research. But there were high hopes for things to change, and from the looks of it, the sooner the better, thought Zechs.

Zechs and Noin had decided to visit each cluster—one a day. They used their scouting ventures to scope out the area, noting residents and their habits among other things such as security measures. If there had been any, that is.

Handing a bottle of water to Noin as he took one for himself, Zechs fell back onto his small single-sized bed with a heavy <oomph!> "This place is a sitting duck."

Noin took a long swallow before voicing her agreement. "I told you, didn’t I?"

"It’s the scientists’ fault," the blond man grumbled. "They’re only interested in their precious experiments."

"They’re hoping to reform the planet," Noin offered as an excuse.

Zechs frowned, rolling his head to the side to look at her. "I thought they hadn’t been given approval for that yet?"

"They haven’t." Noin sighed, leaning her head back to rest against the wall. "But they want to be ready for it."

"Hn. 'Better safe than sorry,’" the man quoted without mirth.

They contemplated their own thoughts for several minutes, too tired after a long day’s journey to do more than just lay and sit in their room. And then, Zechs rolled over onto his stomach, groaning with the effort. "It’s a shame," he said. "Mars really can be a pretty place."

"‘Pretty’?" the dark-haired woman teased, cracking one blue eye open to look at him. "Here," she said, getting up and crawling onto his bed, straddling his legs. "I’ll do you," she offered, her hands already beginning to knead the knotted, tense muscles in his broad shoulders, "if you do me first?"

Zechs groaned. "Oh, god. Just don’t stop."

 

 

The Lady was in a meeting and probably would be there all day. Mariemeia had heard her and Dr. Po talking that morning before she entered the breakfast room. There was a very important meeting today, and Lady Une had named off a lot of important people who were going to be there—people Mariemeia remember her grandfather talking about. The child would have dearly loved to have gone with the Lady, but she feared it impossible. Dr. Po had said she was sorry she couldn’t go, too—That was when the maid caught Mariemeia ease dropping and wheeled her into the room.

The Lady hadn’t reprimanded her like Dekim would have. Instead, the older woman offered what seemed to the girl a treat: Lady Une invited Mariemeia to join her on her visit into the city.

Mariemeia had never been "into town." Indeed, having lived her entire young life on a colony, she had often wondered what a city or town on Earth would look like. Would it resemble a colony—all mechanical with artificial environment control? Would there be tall buildings and people movers arching the skyway? Or would the buildings burying under the surface like on the colonies? How many people would be in a city? All these questions and more swam through the child’s head.

Eagerly, she’d agreed to join the Lady, but now she was beginning to wish she hadn’t. The guards at the front foyer refused to let her out of the building and apparently, the guards at all the other exits were told the same thing. She wasn’t even allowed in the meeting hall with Lady Une because she was ‘too young.’ More likely they didn’t want her getting any ideas again. She could have told them she was over that whole take-over-the-world thing… for now.

The first hour or so hadn’t been too horrible. She’d wondered around the old government building, marveling at the stone and marble columns, the original wood-finished walls, and the patterned floors. And painting after painting after painting. Most of them were boring old portraits of people Mariemeia had no knowledge of—people who had once lived or worked in the building. Some were pictorial scenes, showing vignettes of hunts and sea voyages. One hall wall had a spectacular moral of space that looked centuries old. Walking through the halls of the building, Mariemeia almost felt a sense of being very very young; facing something that was older than her young mind could comprehend.

Eventually, wandering the hallways with no real purpose got to be very boring, and by the time she managed to wander her way into the kitchens she was really beginning to regret being stubborn and refusing to take her chair with her. She stood just inside the doorway as the frazzled kitchen staff scurried to put lunch on trays and begin cooking supper, her legs tingling with firing, protesting nerves, staring before her.

There, amidst all this chaos, she saw him. The same man she had seen weeks ago at the New Year’s party. A gundam pilot, yes, but more than that—a Barton. Trowa Barton, she remembered his name… he was her uncle. Dekim had once mentioned his son, her uncle. Mariemeia had liked the name "Trowa" and so remembered it long after Dekim stopped talking about him. She had thought mayhap he had died—after all, those were very perilous times to live in. War causes many deaths… but he wasn’t dead. He was sitting at a kitchen table, the calmest thing in the entire room, reading.

He must have sensed the weight of her gaze, because he looked up from the papers before him.

And then he smiled at her, and Mariemeia felt all at once that everything in her life could go wrong… and things would still be okay. It was a very good feeling and, shyly, she offered him a return smile.

He stood as she slowly advanced farther into the kitchen, bravely facing the haggard kitchen staff, and pulled out a chair for her, frowning a bit as he noticed her walking in her slow, painful gait.

"Hello, Mariemeia," he said as she neared. He had a soft voice, she though. Soothing.

"Hello, Mr. Barton," she returned, bobbing her head politely and somewhat disheartened that she couldn’t curtsy for the man as well—but she greatly feared to do that least her legs give out beneath her, as they were threatening to do.

"Please call me ‘Trowa,’" he told her, holding out a hand and smoothly guiding her into the chair. "All my friends do. Would you like something to eat or drink?"

"Yes, thank you." She studied him as he poured her a cup of warm tea and passed a tray of cheese and crackers towards her. He was a young man—like all the gundam pilots she had discovered—and very attractive, too. She whimsically wondered if that was one of the characteristics needed to be a gundam pilot: You needed to be young, handsome, skilled, polite—

"I’m surprised to see you walking," Trowa said, smiling at her. "I was under the impression that you were confined to a wheelchair for the length of your recovery."

The redheaded child nodded, smiling at him. "It was true; I was in a wheelchair," she told him, lining up a cube of orange cheese on a cracker. "However, the doctors say I am healing remarkably well and soon, I will be completely better."

"I see," he replied, nodding. He pushed the papers before him into one pile and moved to place them to the side when she asked, "What are you reading?"

"These?" he looked that the pile in his hand. "This is a wildlife preserve project," he told her, smiling at her as he, too, reached for a cracker. "Quatre handed them to me this morning and asked if I would be interested."

"You like animals?" she asked, looking at him curiously.

"Yes, I do. Don’t you?"

She frowned as she thought this over, before answered truthfully, "I don’t know. I’ve never met one."

He looked surprised by her answer and asked, "Really?"

She nodded, looking the pretty pictures of the exotic animals on the pages he handed her.

"We’ll have to do something about that," he said, fanning the pages out on the table so she could look at multiple animals at once.

She looked up at him with large, blue eyes. "Really?" she asked.

"Really," he smiled at her.

 

 

On the outside, he was sure he looked like some damn toy soldier dressed up in a chic black suit. The suit looked tailor made for his slim but muscular body—if he didn’t know any better, he’d think the other boy had planned this. What was he thinking? OF COURSE he planned this.

"Duo, I have a proposition for you…"

Screw that. He should have known better than to try and deal with a businessman like Quatre.

"If I win, you come work for me," the blond had dealt.

"And if I win?"

"What do you want?"

"Well, now, I don’t know. I seem to be getting a lot of wishes granted already lately."

"Well, what if we say I’ll just owe you?"

"Okay, sure. What do I gotta do?"

He still couldn’t believe the blond pipsqueak had actually beaten him at wrestling. Shit! That had been embarrassing. Heero had teased him unrelentlessly all night, making the longhaired boy almost as uncomfortable as he was now—standing behind Quatre in a black tailor-made suit, while a bunch of boring fat-toe-heads sat around and argued about their problems instead of trying to fix them, effectively accomplishing nothing.

Almost.

Man, what he wouldn’t’ give to have DeathScythe right now. He’d make quick work of all these stupid, stumbling officials. It was a horrible thought, but Duo actually wondered why some of the more stupider congressmen or representative couldn’t have been on that shuttle of peaceful doves Heero blew up during the war. It was a horrible thought only because he knew how much that incident had upset his partner.

Speaking of which, that was the sole good thing about being here right now. Heero Yuy was standing directly across from him, standing behind representative Dorian and her blonde psycho-bitch.

He wondered why the Vice-Minister had chosen to keep that girl—it definitely wouldn’t have been *his* decision, but, then, he was of the opinion that the Vice-Minister wasn’t too all-sane herself. Of course, he had to admit; she had been pretty damn awesome supporting the Miramar project like she had. Still, Quatre was Relena’s good friend, too, and yet here she was, chumming up to the girl who tried to kill him. But then again, look at her brother—maybe it was a family psychotic thing or something.

The whole highlight of this entire boring, prolonged torture of a meeting was that sculpted body standing directly across from him and imagining all the lovely things he was going to do to that body when they got out of here. One thing he had to admit—Heero Yuy looked damn fine in a suit. Of course, he might be considered a little biased, but, then again, this WAS his boyfriend he was daydreaming about.

And with that stray thought, Duo began to wonder what Wufei would look like in a suit. ‘Damn fine,’ was his conclusion. He looked forward to catching the ebony-haired Preventer in his uniform one day—though not as sexy as the precision-cut black suit Heero and Duo were wearing--it was still a suit, right?

The Preventers.

Ah, now, there was a crutch. Heero and he had turned down Noin when she’d come a-calling a couple of month ago, but obviously the head of the Preventers was eager to have them signed on. It wasn’t such a bad idea, and now that the gundams were gone, that opened matters up a little.

There was a shifting to his left, snapping his attention back to the meeting.

"We shall reconvene in two hours’ time, then," the Vice-President was saying as he stood. Others at the table stood as well, including Relena and Quatre. Quatre’s secretary and across from her, Dorothy, were gathering up papers.

Quatre pressed up against him, allowing the flow of people anxious to leave to pass by them. "Come on," the blond executive said against his ear. "Let’s go find Trowa and then we can join Relena in her rooms."

"Don’t you have your own rooms here?" Duo asked as he obediently followed the other teen from the room.

Quatre shook his head and called back to him. "No, I’m not officially a member of this government."

"Hey! But that sucks! You do enough for them—they should—"

"It’s okay." Quatre turned and Duo could see the twinkling glint in the blue eyes. "I own the hotel across the street, and several others in this city. My company makes a mint whenever there’s a meeting like this."

Duo shook his head and just followed where the blond lead, not questioning how the boy knew where his lover was hiding out in this monstrosity of a house.

 

 

"We are a peaceful colony," Xiu said, pushing a strand of dark mahogany hair away from her face, her large black-rimmed classes engulfing her brown, golden-flecked eyes. "We’re scientist and explorationsists."

"Yes," Noin said. "But there are a lot of people who are now coming to Mars who are *not* scientists like you."

The head scientist of the Turlington Cluster frowned. It was the fifth representative they’d managed to talk to in the last three weeks. Most of that time was spent tracking down the person who *was* in charge. Now she and Zechs were trying to talk to each representative, convince them of the importance of establishing a hierarchy of government for the Martian colonies. Three of the representatives had absently agreed, one had insisted it wasn’t his concern.

Now she was talking to Xiu Gon while Zechs hunted down their next victim.

"Why would anyone want to come here if it wasn’t to study?" the woman asked confused.

"A lot of people were displaced during the war—"

"War?"

The woman’s puzzled look pushed Noin’s boiling point, but she diligently reined in her frustration and anger. "There was a war between the Colonies and Earth," she explained as calmly as she could.

"But... why?"

She wasn’t—she wasn’t… she wasn’t going to hit the woman. No matter how annoying she got. But Noin couldn’t help wondering just what the hell this woman had been doing for the past two years that she didn’t know there was a war going on outside.

"The Colonies didn’t appreciate the Federation’s repression of their political bodies and rights. They rebelled," Noin informed her. "After several government overthrows, Earth and the Colonies signed a peace treaty leaving a lot of soldiers out of work and out of luck. A lot of these soldiers aren’t happy with the results of the war and some want to try again."

"What foolishness. Everyone knows that war is only good for death and destruction. Why would anyone want to participate in such brutality?" the scientist asked, pushing her glasses back up her pert little nose.

"I wish I knew," Noin sighed, feeling suddenly very, very tired. "In any case, Dr. Gon, you must understand what a tempting target the Mars colonies are to such an attack. These soldiers who are unhappy might come here and try to create a base of operations for starting another war. That’s why my partner and I are here. To try and stop that from happening."

"And… you call your organization the ‘Preventers’?" the woman asked, scrutinizing her.

Noin nodded, showing the scientist her badge again.

"And… how do I know you and your partner aren’t trying to ‘take over’ our colony and start this new war?"

Noin smiled—at least this woman wasn’t as ignorant of military matters as some of her compatriots. "Because," she answered her, " I wouldn’t be asking if I was planning on taking over."

 

 

Relena groaned and buried her face in her folded arms. "Why do they have to be so difficult?"

"Ah, Miss Relena," her companion answered lightly. "You should have followed my suggestion and created a dictatorship, not a republic."

"Don’t tease me, Dory, I’m really not in the mood right now." Cool hands slid over her shoulders and squeeze her neck. Relena moaned appreciatively. "Oh, gods, that feels good…"

"So tense, Miss Relena," a warm voice whispered in her ear. Those wonderful hands and fingers moved back over her shoulders and down her back, caressing her skin through the thick material of her formal suit. "Allow me to relieve some of your stress." Warm palms pressed into her lower back, smoothing outward.

There was a rap at the door before it pushed opened.

"Well, let’s see. There was this one time, I’d just transferred into a new school that was right next to the base I was supposed to toast, you know? And *guess* who a ran into?" Duo’s voice was rambling cheerfully.

"Mr. Heero?" Mariemeia’s voice asked eagerly.

"Correct-o-mondo!" Duo laughed. "It worked out great, though, because not only were we there to blast the same base, but we ended up—"

"Duo," Heero’s voice growled out from an adjoining room, shortly followed by the appearance of said voice.

"Hee-chan!" the longhaired teen called out, grinning devilishly as he launched himself at his lover’s body.

The Japanese teen obligingly caught Duo’s body and wrapped it up in his arms, tilting his head in against Duo’s neck to ask, "Did you have fun this morning undressing me with your eyes?"

Duo smiled into Heero’s shoulder, replying, "Not as much fun as we’re going to have tonight."

"Miss Relena, it is a pleasure to meet you again."

"Hello, Mariemeia, Trowa. It’s good to see you both again," the Vice-Minister greeted, regretfully standing up as the two walked into the room, Quatre right behind them, smiling at the sight of the little redhead girl in the arms of his lover.

"I hope your meeting went well," the child said as Trowa set her down on the sofa near the fireplace.

"It’s not over yet," Relena replied, tiredly, shooting a look over to Quatre.

"Would you like some tea?" Dorothy offered the newcomers. "I’ve asked for a tray to be delivered—" there was a knock at the door. "And that should be it now," she added, smiling as she went to answer the door.

It wasn’t a tray, however, but the head of the Preventers, Lady Une. "Good afternoon, Lady, please come in," Dorothy said politely, opening the door wider for the other woman to pass in.

"Dorothy," Relena begged, "Please stop it."

"Stop what, dear Miss Relena?" the young woman asked with mock innocence.

"Gentile-ness does not suit you," Anne replied.

"Nor does that hair style suit you," Dorothy returned, smirking as she turned away from the door.

"Cat fight" someone mumbled while Relena sighed and sat back down in her chair.

"I wonder when the last time you fought was," Quatre asked softly, smiling sympathetically to the blonde woman.

"Too long ago," Dorothy replied, her eyes twinkling with an almost sadistic glow as she studied him. "Why? Would you care to hold a rematch with me?"

Quatre’s smile turned to one of amusement and he laughed lightly. "If you promise not to try and kill me this time, I might actually take you up on that."

"Oh, but what would the fun be if I promised that?" Dorothy quipped, returning to answer the knock on the door and letting the servants wheel in a cart heavy with trays of food.

"This morning was impracticable," Relena frowned, absently taking the plate of food Dorothy handed her.

"I wouldn’t say that," Quatre replied. "At least now everyone’s had a chance to argue about inconsequential matters, which means—"

"Which *means*," Dorothy interrupted, handing Relena a glass of cool iced tea. "This afternoon, when we reconvene, you will push this Mars Colonization Bill through with no nays from those pampas old fools who think they run this government."

Quatre nodded his agreement as Trowa handed him a plate and drink. "Yes, I would like to have this finished today. My people have been waiting for the go-ahead for two weeks now."

"I have received word from Wind and Fire," Anne told them. "They have spoken to 4 for the cluster colony representatives"

"What the Mars colonists want is futile in light of what is best for them," Dorothy replied.

"It is those kind of thoughts that lead us to war two years ago," Heero replied, accepting the plate Trowa held out to him, only to have Duo start picking at it.

"You make it sound like a bad thing," Dorothy answered calmly.

Duo growled, "Why you—" while Heero held him back.

"Don’t let her upset you, Duo," Quatre smiled faintly. "She is testing your patience with people’s arrogance. It is a lesson we must all not forget."

Dorothy shot a mocking pout towards the blond executive. "Quatre Raberba Winner, don’t go around spoiling my fun."

"Perhaps," Quatre offered, still smiling, "I may engage you in a more challenging sport of fun later?"

Ice blue eyes glowed with feral excitement as her pout turned inside out. "Perhaps indeed."

"But for now," she said, "We should focus on how to push this bill through, ne?"

 

 

Sally reached for her eighth cup of coffee, tired beyond the point of where any caffeine could really help. Five hours of tracing through transport records, trying to find out who went where, what for, and if how long they stayed there. It was a tenacious job, but a necessary one, and three other teams were working on the same project. They were all coming to the same conclusions: too many names were tracing back to the Mars colonies.

"Onna, you should rest," her partner said from her doorway.

Sally looked up at him and smiled. "Can’t. Work."

"Silly woman, I thought you were a doctor."

"And just what’s that supposed to mean?" she snapped, swirling around in her seat to face him.

"It means you’re no good to us when you’re tired. Go take a nap," he said, ducking back out of her doorway and into his adjoining office. "I hear the couch in Mother’s office is nice and comfy. But then, you would know better than I."

Sally stared flabbergasted at the door. Did Wufei just tease her? She must have been more tired that she realized—she’d fallen asleep and was having a crazy dream….

 

 

"Reports in from home," Zechs said as Noin dragged herself into their shared mini-apartment.

She took the papers he held out to her as the door slid shut behind her. "We have Turlington’s support," she told him, focusing her blurry eyes on the readings. Her eyes shot open and she looked over at his grim face. "I take it this is fairly accurate?"

His scowl darkened. "An underestimate, they’re still searching."

Noin sighed heavily and fell into her cot. She looked at the sheet of paper taped to the sidewall—nine names were written on it. Three—Carliton, Reitz, and Norman—were circled in green ink. One—Rawlings—was x-ed off in red. Five—Criser, Jennings, Little, Broward, and Turlington—were left alone.*

"Turlington’s a yes," she sighed. "Five down."

"I tracked down Criser and Broward," he told her, getting up to circle ‘Turlington’. "We have an appointment with them tomorrow and the day after." He popped her on the nose with a finger.

"You’re in a good mood. What happened with Jennings?" she asked rolling over and snuggling up to her deflated pillow.

"Not a definite ‘yes’, but not a definite ‘no’, either," he answered. "I’ll hit him up again tomorrow. I think he just needs a little more influence before he says ‘yes’."

Noin grunted. "Why are we doing this again?" she asked. "I forgot."

"Because—we’re going to take over the world!" he answered with dramatic mockery.

She groaned and rolled over, eyeing him with an ‘I’m not amused’ look. "You tried that once before, remember?"

In a completely childish and un-professional like manner, Zechs stuck his tongue out at her.

 

 

"ENOUGH!"

Silence prevailed as Quatre stood tall, his palms pressed flat into the table, looking heavily at each member surrounding the conference table. His voice was low and menacing as he continued.

"You have done nothing but sit here and bicker all morning and most of the afternoon. The war ended over a year ago, but you cannot let go of the past. We are here today to discuss our present and future; we are here not to place blame or dwell on past transgressions, but to move forward, to rebuild and begin again. If you cannot understand this than you have no business being here and should leave now."

For a minute, no one moved, and then, at the far end of the table there was a rustling as one member of the conference stood up to leave, his aide rushing to gather his belongings. "I will not be dictated to by a child," he announced as he stormed out of the room.

Someone—Dorothy, probably—murmured, "You just have."

No one else left.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, if we may get down to business?" He regained his seat, hands clasped on the table before him. "Lady Une has brought to our attention the black hole in defense Mars presents to us. It has been suggested, and I agree, that in order to correct this hole, we must reconstruct Mars’s importance. This bill," he held up his green sheet of paper, which each person had, "was created for this purpose.

"Vice-Minister Dorian and I have conversed on this subject deeply, as I know many of you have. No doubt you have heard many arguments for why this bill should not be passed. Now let me tell you why it should…"

Two hours later, the bill was approved, and as the members of council filed out of the conference room, Relena rushed up to Quatre and hugged him. "I knew you could do it," she whispered.

"Your influence of many of the members helped," Quatre replied, returning the friendly embrace. "It’s official now," he sighed with relief. "My people are already being notified. Work will begin tomorrow morning."

Relena grinned and leaned up to peck his cheek. "You’re a miracle worker, Quatre."

"Now, now," Duo shooed her off, grinning good-naturedly. "Don’t be smooching the goods, sister. His boy-friend might not appreciate that, and trust me, an unhappy Trowa is not a nice thing to see."

Relena laughed, but let go of Quatre, who was shaking his head at Duo, who in turn was eyeing Heero and Dorothy as they talked quietly at the other side of the table. "Who’s up for a celebratory dinner?" Relena asked.

"Who’s buying?" Duo quipped, still grinning though he was frowning inside—Dorothy didn’t look happy about whatever it was Heero was saying. "As long as it’s not me, I’m in!"

 

 

It was another two days before Noin or Zechs heard the news—and that was because they’d been on their toes nonstop, cornering the remaining representatives.

"They did it!" Noin shouted, jumping up from the computer, whirling around and jumping into Zechs, wrapping her arms around him. "They did it! They did it!"

"Yea," he cheered with her before asking, "What did they do?"

"Got the bill passed!" Noin exclaimed before leaning up and kissing his lips. "Relena’s message says Quatre did all the work, and of course Quatre’s message said it was Relena’s influence, and all Anne’s message says is that it was passed and assistance should be here in another three days."

"That’s great," Zechs replied, stepping away. "Means we have a lot of work to get done before they get here, though. I’ll give you first dibs on the ‘fresher?"

"Why don’t we conserve water?" Noin suggested, grinning at him.

He frowned at her. "We’re not kids anymore, Luce," he said before closeting himself in the refresher.

Noin sighed and fell back onto her bed. ‘I know, Zechs,’ she thought, staring up at the ceiling, ‘But I just can’t let it go…’ And then she squealed with school-girlish excitement over having the bill passed.

 

 

::Heero Yuy, former bodyguard to Vice Minister Relena Dorian, has switched employers.:: The newscaster said. ::The handsome young man, who was rumored to be *dating* Ms. Dorian, is now working for multimillionaire colonial business tycoon Quatre Raberba Winner. The reason he says?

"The benefits are better."

In other news…::

Duo turned to look at his boyfriend as they lounged on the couch in front of the TV. "The benefits are better?" he teased.

Heero rolled over, capturing the other boy beneath him, grinning and wiggling his hips suggestively. "Well, *I* definitely consider *this* a benefit," he answered, leaning over to kiss the braided wonder.

"Do you two *ever* stop?" Wufei grumbled, moving over on the couch to give them more room.

"Not if we don’t have to!" Duo replied before managing to get his legs around Wufei, too, effectively drawing the other teen into the play.

 

End Part 3

*The names of the Mars Colony Clusters are real names of buildings at the University of Florida. ^__^;; Hey! If I had to give up 3 years of my life to that institution, I figured I could use it for *something*. ^__^;; Besides, every-now-and-then, it's fun to insert a little RL, don't you think? {remembers how she used the Florida counties as space ship names for Howard's Sweepers' Fleet in "In the Pale Moonlight"......}

Andrea Readwolf

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Promise Of The Rings   
> Part 4 of the Dance of the Heart Arc, A Matter of Heart Series   
> 2-Apr-2002
> 
>  Standard Disclaimer Applies.

**Promise of the Rings by Andrea Readwolf**

**Part Four: Mightier Than the Sword**

 

Quatre smiled and pulled the face guard down. "This isn’t necessary, you do realize that?" he asked, swiping the air with his sabre.

"Humor me," Heero replied, checking the fastenings on his wrist guards before lowering his mask and raising his sabre.

"I thought I was!" Quatre’s smile could be heard despite the face guard. Heero’s sabre came at him before the last word left his lips.

The clashing of metal against metal echoed throughout the room, followed by hollow silence. And then the hiss of metal sliding against metal, parry, forte, clash, block, attack. A dance of metal and bodies, crashing together with deliberation, side stepping, swirling, until both boys stood in a gridlock, face to face.

"Draw," Quatre panted, not relaxing his pressure on the blades inches between them.

Heero grunted, dropped, brought his leg up behind Quatre. Quatre grunted, surprised, his balance thrown off, his fall guaranteed when a knee pressed behind his, buckling, sprawling out across the mat, shocked. Heero stood, pointed his sabre’s point to the center of Quatre’s chest. He pulled his mask off, a proud little smirk in place.

"There’s no such thing as a tie, Quatre," he said.

The blond boy pushed his face guard up from his flushed, sweaty face. "That’s not fair, Heero!"

The Japanese boy pulled back his sabre and drew away. "No one said to be fair. You do what you have to do to win."

"Feeling proud of yourself, Yuy?"

Heero looked over his shoulder to the three other teens hanging out along the wall, watching him and Quatre duel. "Yes," he answered before turning around fully to face them. "You thinking about doing something about it?"

Wufei smirked, arms crossed over his chest, chin down, eyes closed, one foot propped up against the wall behind him. "Maybe." One eye looked up, his face stayed lowered.

Heero looked at the Chinese youth, the corners of his mouth tilted, and he cocked his head to the side. "So what are you waiting for? A special invitation?"

Wufei pushed off the wall, his arms falling to the side as he made his way to the weapons display, pulling a large curved sword off the wall. "Rules?"

"There are no rules," Heero countered, watching the lithe dragon’s body as Wufei freed his sword from its scabbard and tested its familiar weight. He took one look at Wufei’s blade in comparison to his. "Hn. Duo, hand me the Kampilan."

Duo perked up. "Sure, Hee-chan. Ah… which one is it?"

"Here," Trowa supplied, walking past Duo, over to the wall and picking out the long, single edged blade, sporting a spikelet at the tip. One flick of arm and wrist sent the blade flipping through the air, soaring directly towards Heero. The blade arched down, embedding itself into the cushy mat next to Heero’s feet. The Japanese fighter bent, loosed the blade, and pulled it free with ease.

"One rule!" Duo called out, delaying any action. Two pairs of eyes turned to the braided-boy; one onyx, one lapis. "No killin’ or maimin’," the violet-blue-eyed boy insisted. "I want full, livin’ and breathin’ bodies in my bed tonight. Got me?"

Wufei and Heero nodded, once, and then turned to each other. Quatre scooted up next to Duo and Trowa, leaning back against the taller boy, and winced at the first harsh crash of swords as Heero and Wufei went at each other like mortal enemies. The blond boy cringed again, turning his face away… and caught sight of his best friend, leaning back against the wall, casually watching the two boys on the mats. Watched violet-blue eyes follow each and every sway and dip, arch and swoop of blade as his two boyfriends wielded the weapons like extensions of limbs. He was studying them, Quatre realized with some shock, not just watching to make sure they didn’t hurt each other, but studying their movements.

"It’s a draw!" Duo shouted over the clang of swords after about ten minutes. Quatre noticed, too, that the swings grew sloppier as limbs tired and sweat beaded their foreheads and soaked their shirts. Neither boy on the mats answered, continuing to hack away.

Trowa waited another three minutes before calling out to them. "You’re equally matched."

Neither Asian boy acknowledged him, either. And then, Heero managed to knock Wufei’s sword free, falling to his knees in the process. Wufei, swordless, swayed, watching as Heero’s knees collided with the soft mats, and then fell himself.

"Why… must you… be so… stubborn?" Wufei hissed as his legs gave out beneath him and his body jeered to the ground.

"Someone… has to… knock you down… every once in a while…" Heero replied.

"Hn." Duo squatted down between the two. "Do you have to knock yourself down in the process, Hee-chan?" he asked.

Heero smiled up at the ceiling, eyes closed against the salty sweat. "Wouldn’t want him to be lonely."

"Well," Quatre said, coming up behind Duo, Trowa at his side. "There went my so-called lessons for the day!"

Trowa smiled, a hand finding its way to Quatre’s back, right below his shoulder. "I thought you said lessons were not necessary."

"They’re not," Quatre agreed. "But it’s the *principle* of the matter." He looked down at the two exhausted boys on the mats. "We should just leave you both here."

"And condemn me to a cold, empty bed?" Duo quipped. He reached over and hauled his Chinese lover to his feet, wrapping an arm around Wufei’s waist to hold him up. Trowa didn’t even bother to help Heero stand; just leaned over, picked the Japanese boy up and cradled him like a baby.

"I can walk you know," Heero mumbled. Trowa didn’t reply.

"Let’s get them into the bath," Quatre grumbled. "No sense in stinking up clean sheets."

"They’ll just be dirty by morning anyway," Duo replied, following the blond out of the padded room.

 

End Part 4

Andrea Readwolf

 

**Part Five: Language Barrier**

 

March 197AC

The room was lit by several bright, burning candles that danced shadows over the rather bare, beige walls and the wide, round face deep in concentration. Thin lips moved in rapid succession as words of a foreign tongue fell from them into the air to be carried off to phantom consciousness. The lone occupant of the room had already been there for nearly a half hour, kneeling face down before the small table set up against one wall, adorn with silk scarves and statues and a stick of glowing incense that wafted its heady scent throughout the room in a thick haze. One large, rainbow striped prayer candle sat in the center of the little table, bathing it in its glow.

Many mornings, after his exercises and shower, he would come here, to this room that had been given to him, courtesy of the young Winner heir who owned this property. He came here and shut himself away from the others-sometimes for several hours.

Heero told Duo that this was natural and healthy for their Chinese lover. That this was Wufei's personal time for meditation, and they should respect that and leave him alone... But Duo was worried about him. He didn't want to be overly-possessive or anything, and this relationship was still too new for them all and undefined, but...

He was curious. He looked in on the room one day when Wufei was out; studied the simple ink scrolls the young man chose to decorate his walls with; scrutinized each item on the small table with great interest-but never daring to touch, only look. But he didn't understand.

What kept his lover here for so long? What was the appeal this room held for Wufei? He couldn't figure it out. It was a mystery, and Duo Maxwell was well and determined to get to the bottom of it!

So, he decided to spy on his lover. He waited a full twenty-nine minutes after he knew Wufei entered the room before tiptoeing down the hallway and listening at the door. He could hear Wufei's muffled voice through the wood, and, although he couldn't make out the exact words, he *did* know it sounded like the Chinese youth was having a conversation with someone. Only thing was Duo knew for a fact Wufei was in there alone.

More curious than ever, Duo pressed closer to the door, hoping to make out the words-and almost lost his balance when the door gave with little coaxing from him. He thanked Quatre's staff and their well-oiled hinges when the door inched open without sound, and then he peeked inside, eager to catch his lover in whatever compromising act he could.

Finding Wufei keeled over in front of that table was *not* what he expected. Although, free from barrier, he now knew why he couldn't understand what his lover was saying-he was talking in a foreign language, one that reminded Duo of Japanese, but that wasn't. Or didn't. It was different. And he couldn't exactly make out how or why. None of the words his lover was saying were any of the ones Heero had been teaching him for the past year, at least, and he figured it was a pretty good bet that it was Wufei's own Chinese falling from the teen's lips. That was, after all, the most logical guess, was it not?

Wufei sat up-back ramrod straight-eyes remaining shut. Duo held his breath in the silence that stretched out before Wufei said something else to the candle-lit room. He was about to retreat when Wufei's voice stopped him.

"Did you need something, Duo?"

He didn't know what startled him more-the sudden use of English... or the fact that the question was directed towards him. A sheepish smile graced the braided pilot's face as he cracked the door open father and popped his head fully into the room-as if afraid to intrude any farther into the young China man's domain.

"Hey, Wu," Duo replied jovially. "Just wondering what you were up to in here, that's all."

Wufei couldn't control the infectious smile the braided boy instigated. One onyx eye peeped open and he twisted around to look at him. "Come in," he invited. "Close the door behind you, please."

They were magic words for the braided youth and he was inside the room, leaning back against the door in a heartbeat. A small draft flickered the candles before the door closed shut completely and the shadows jumped and danced over the walls.

"Come, sit," Wufei beckoned, turning back forward to face the small table. "This," he continued motioning to the table as Duo dropped gracefully to the floor beside him, "is a shrine to my ancestors, to honor and respect them and their influence in my life."

"That's cool," Duo nodded, studying the articles on the table with new eyes this time. "I guess it must be pretty neat to know where you come from and all that."

Wufei didn't answer immediately, allowing the silence of the room to press against their two bodies. He stared at the different artifacts he had chosen to represent his family, placed deliberately and delicately across the altar. The golden dragon pendent that hung from a scarlet red string. The creamy jade beads. A rolled scroll that held the honor of his clan. A picture of his child-wife.

"Sometimes," he agreed finally with a small nod of his chin. And then he turned and looked directly into Duo's face, startling the other pilot. "And sometimes, it can be a heavy burden." He reached out and fingered the string of beads. "Like now."

Duo wanted to ask him, he could tell, but Wufei's respect for his lover grew when the other held his tongue. Perhaps that most of all allowed him to continue. "Now they are all dead. Gone from this world," he said, his voice low and careful. "Yet, if I do not take this time out of my day to pay them my respects-to remember their sacrifice and honor them, I am ill at ease for the entire day. Even now, when there is no one left to reprimand me."

Duo's face scrunched up as he turned this over in his head, and finally he came to a comparison. "Like a guilty conscience for not saying your prayers or going to confession, huh?"

Wufei smiled and even gave a small huffed-laugh as he nodded. "You... talk to them?" Duo hedged after another moment of quiet.

Again, Wufei nodded, staring forward at the shrine.

Duo studied him, noting how the candlelight flickered over his face and thinking to add candles to their bedroom. "What do you talk to them about?" he wanted to know.

Wufei was thoughtful. "Sometimes," he told Duo, "I ask them for advice." He was quiet again. "Sometimes... I like to tell them about you, and Heero." He tilted his head and looked sideways out at the boy sitting next to him. "And how happy you have made me. Sometimes, I like to think about how my father would react if he were to find out I was in a relationship with not one beautiful man, but two."

He reached out and his hand slid against Duo's scalp, fingers combing into the roots of the thick braid. He exerted gentle force, coaxing him close enough to lean in and brush his lips over Duo's. "My father would have found great honor in both of you," he whispered.

Duo's eyes drifted shut, his lips curving into a smirking smile as a hum originated from the depths of his throat. He turned into Wufei, nuzzling the other's neck as he balanced his weight on one arm, reaching for Wufei with the other. "So, he wouldn't mind that we're boinking his very honorable son, huh?" he teased, tasting the sweet tanginess of Wufei's skin.

Wufei was silent, his own eyes shut against the flickering candlelight.

Duo pulled back. "Fei?"

"I'm..." The Chinese boy forced himself to look at his lover and answer the young man's query. "I'm not sure, Duo," he voiced, breathing heavily. "My father and I..." Wufei's throat tightened, swelled against the words he'd begun to speak.

"You know, I kinda envy you that," Duo murmured, resting his head on Wufei's shoulder.

Wufei looked down at him, surprise scrolled across his vulnerable face.

"I mean," Duo continued, "you and Q-man. You got to know your dads. Heck! You even know who your mothers are, even if you never got to meet them or anything. You have pictures. Family. That's something I've never really had. Heck! Heero and Trowa neither for that matter."

Despite the emotion of his words, Duo's voice never rose above the whisper they'd used in the room. As if he knew not to shout in a place that was sacred, and somehow, some way, this room was sacred.

Wufei's arms tightened around the American youth. "I'm sorry," he said truthfully, moving his lips over the other boy's crown. Duo just laughed in response, snuggling closer until he was leaning flush against the kneeling boy.

"Don't be," he said, burrowing his face against Wufei's neck. "I couldn't be the person I am now if it weren't for my past. I might never have met G, or DeathScythe. Never gone down to Earth and seen how beautiful the moon and stars were from down here. Never gotten to meet Heero or you and *then* where would I be, huh?"

Duo nuzzled closer and Wufei moved to accommodate him. "There's no other place I would rather be than with you and Heero, and Q-man, and Tro right now. For me, you guys are all the family I need."

Wufei kissed him. It was the only effective way he knew to get Duo to shut up-and sometimes not even that worked. Pulling away languidly from the kiss, Wufei studied his longhaired lover's mused face. "You are my family now, too," he said softly, his thumb trailing over Duo's slightly puffy lower lip. "The only family I have, the only family I need."

Duo licked his lips and smiled. "Have I told you how good you taste yet today, Fei?"

Wufei smiled back. "Wo ai ni."

"What's 'wo ai ni'?" Duo asked with that curious little frowny-pout he got when he was relaxed and sleepy.

Wufei brushed Duo's bottom lip as it pouted outwards, smiling. "'I love you.'"

"Love you, too," the braided boy replied readily.

He almost laughed. So cute... "It means 'I love you'. It's Mandarin."

"Sounds pretty when you say it," Duo murmured, feeling relaxed and at ease. "Say something else?"

"Wo Ai Ne; Ne hen piao liang." {*I love you; You are so beautiful*}

Duo smiled, leaning into Wufei. "What's that mean?" Wufei told him and Duo kissed him, before repeating it softly. Wufei looked at him, amused.

"Say something else."

"Tong ne yi qi wo juede hao kai xing- with you I am very happy. I am blessed to know you." Wufei's fingers played over Duo's braid, allowing the silky, weaved strands caress his fingertips. Duo repeated again before yawning.

"Mind if I watch you for a while? It feels nice in here..."

"Of course, Duo," the ebony haired young man replied, cradling the chestnut head until it was pillowed in his lap. "You are welcome in this room any time you like." Duo smiled, stretching out and snuggling deeper into Wufei's lap. He looked up with a sleepy, sheepish smile. "This okay?"

Wufei's fingertips grazed his cheek. "This is fine," the Chinese youth answered, soft and loving. Wufei looked back at the altar, smiling, petting the boy in his lap. He continued to talk to his ancestors, first in Mandarin, then in English.

"{*He  **is**  beautiful,*}" he said in his native tongue. "{*And he makes me happy and gives me strength. He honors me everyday with the gift of his love. He and Heero help me be at peace with myself. I hope you can see and understand that. I hope you can forgive me-I know by giving myself to them I dishonor our clan, abandon our family. But, to not do so would be dishonorable to myself.*}"

Wufei looked down at the boy who had fallen asleep. "{*I love him. I love them both, very, very much.*}" He touched his lips to two raised fingers, and then his fingers to the sleeping boy's forehead before closing his eyes and allowing his body to enter a meditative state.

Two hours later, at a loss for where his braided lover could be hiding, Heero Yuy finally decided to invade his Chinese lover's sanctuary. He cracked the door open and peeked in-a smile overtaking his features instinctively as the scene before him registered.

Slipping inside the room noiselessly, Heero leaned back against the wall, sliding down its length until he sat on the floor, just staring at his two beautiful lovers. His body tingled with awareness, his throat tight with emotion. Even his eyes moistened with unshed tears as he watched the two young men he loved more than anything in the world.

"Thank you," he whispered to whatever deity or deities that allowed him the experience of Duo's and Wufei's love.

"{*You're welcome*}" Duo's sleep-muddled voice replied.

Heero almost laughed. It appeared his longhaired lover had acquired yet another language. If they weren't careful, Duo's linguistic skills would overtake Trowa's! His smile grew and he didn't mind the happy tears that escaped to trail over his cheeks. He settled himself into a quiet meditative state, content just to be in the same room with the two men who held claim to his heart, body, and soul.

 

 

Duo took time out to actually study the scrolls Wufei had chosen to decorate the shrine room with. That was what he had decided to call the room that had been given to Wufei-the shrine room, or sometimes, the meditation room. In the days following Wufei's invitation, the longhaired teen had come here often.

There was something about the room-a power... a peacefulness-that drew him to it.

There were three scrolls on each of the four walls. Two scrolls contained lined sketches, lightly colored. Between the two was a scroll of Chinese word. The picture words, like Japanese kanji.

There was a presence, behind him, and then Wufei was pressing against his back, his arms wrapped around his waist, holding him without restraining him. Wufei pointed to a scroll nestled between two paintings of cranes and mountains. "That's a word I would use to describe you. 'Love'."

Duo peered at the scroll and started to extend a hand to touch it. He hesitated and looked back at Wufei. Wufei gave a small smile and nodded. Duo turned back and traced the brushstrokes upon the scroll. "Love... You mean like koi?"

Wufei nodded against his shoulder. "Humility," he continued, pointed at the picture-word beneath the first. "Honor; Wisdom; Protection."

Duo studied the four stroked words, his finger tracing each thick black stroke. Love, humility, honor, wisdom, protection... Yes, they fit his Chinese love very well.

"They are like the five elements of old," Wufei added softly. "Water is fluid, like love," he said, his hand playing in Duo's soft, loose hair, lifting it to his face to smell its sweet fragrance. Wood is solid, until it is time for it to burn in the fire, and then it is humble enough to feed the honorable fire. Wisdom is like the wind, which knows when to blow strong and when to be a gentle breeze. And protection is the iron and steel, which is our companion in battle."

Duo leaned back against Wufei. "You have the heart of a poet," he murmured. "I remember, before the war was over, before that last final battle, when we..." He turned his face and looked into Wufei's. "When we made love that first time. Remember?" He smiled and kissed the Chinese teen's lips. "You told me the story of the dragon, the one your father told you?"

"I remember," Wufei's lips trailed down Duo's throat. "You were spying on me."

"I was admiring that hot body of yours," Duo replied, turning in Wufei's arms and running his hands up and down Wufei's back. "Warrior poet, that's what you are. I've decided." He was still grinning as he kissed Wufei's lips.

"If I'm a warrior poet, what is Heero?" Wufei asked lazily, enjoying the taste of Duo's lips all too much. It was making his head hazy-or maybe that was heavy incense.

"Ah, Heero is a Warrior Angel," Duo answered, his laughter twinkling in his eyes.

"Oh, I see. Well, then. If Heero is a warrior angel, and I am a warrior poet, what are you?"

Duo laughed, his lips teasing Wufei's lips without actually kissing the other teen. "Ah, now, *I* am a demon... the demon who seduces the angel... the demon the poet loves... love me, Wufei..."

"Always," Wufei whispered hoarsely. "Wo ai ni, my warrior demon. Wo ai ni."

"Wo ai ni," Duo repeated. "Koi."

 

End Part 5

Andrea Readwolf

**Part Six: Karaoke**

 

_April 198 AC_

_~Sunday Afternoon~_

"Hey, Q-man!" Duo greeted in his customary cheerfulness as he intruded upon the music room unannounced where the blond executive and his mate were relaxing.

"Yes, Duo?" Quatre asked patiently as the flow of music pouring from the stringed instrument in his hands continued without mishap. His eyes remained shut even as the tone of the music changed, shifting into a more inquisitive beat. Beside him, sitting calmly on the couch, eyes closed as well, Trowa followed the melody's lead.

"You got anything planned this Friday," Duo asked, leaning over the back of the couch next to Trowa. "Or are you two staying in?"

The music fell into a thoughtful melody as Quatre ran over his week's agenda through his head.

"Dinner Thursday, banquet Saturday," Trowa answered, obviously thinking over the same agenda.

Quatre nodded, the melody dipping with him. "Friday's free," Quatre agreed. One blue eye peeked open. "Why?"

Duo was grinning-some would consider that a very bad sign. "Nothing, nothing," Duo said, though there was a twinkle in his eye and a note in his voice that said there definitely was something. But the braided-teenager called a quick goodbye and danced out of the room before either of the remaining two could call him on it.

"What do you suppose that was about?" Quatre asked his lover.

Trowa smiled and the flute sounded a high running trill.

"You're right," Quatre smiled. "We probably *don't* want to know."

 

 

_~Friday Early Evening~_

"Taking a shower," Duo announced, hanging inside the door to Wufei's private sanctuary. Dark brows wiggled as he grinningly asked, "Wanna conserve some water and join me?"

Wufei looked up from where he sat in a corner with his journal opened. "I fail to see how joining you will *conserve* water when we only succeed in taking up more time," he replied, failing to hide the small smile already playing at his lips as he returned his place marker to the book and set it aside.

"Maybe," Duo answered, grinning cheekily. "But you're so good at getting to all those hard to reach places."

Wufei crossed the room in even, unhurried steps and by the time Duo had finished talking was at the other teen's side. He moved his arms around Duo's waist, locking them there comfortably. "Un hn. And where's Heero? Or is he not as good as I for reaching those-hard to reach places."

"Oh, no. He's good," Duo almost laughed, his eyes twinkling as he dropped a light kiss on Wufei's lips. "But when you want the best, you go to the Master," Duo teased, winking at the Chinese teen and lightly kissing him again.

"I believe you lured this 'Master' out of his den with promise of a shower?" Wufei returned, enjoying the teasing as much as Duo.

"OH? Did I?" Duo mused, leaning into Wufei, wrapping his arms around his neck. "What a great lure." He took Wufei's mouth with a kiss full of teasing promise-promise Wufei knew he was good for. "Heero's getting ready for tonight," Duo answered finally.

"What's tonight?" Wufei breathed, only half interested in the question and its answer.

"Payback," Duo replied before pulling Wufei across the hall and into the suite he shared with Heero. From there it was into the bathroom where the hot water was already running-steaming up the glass and windows. They tumbled against the walls, knocking towels askew as they fumbled to help one another out of their clothing, mouths refusing to part save for the briefest seconds-and even that seemed too long.

Under the hot stream of raining water, Duo held Wufei close, burying his face in Wufei's throat and shoulder. Wufei held Duo just as tight, content for the moment to feel the longhaired teen's body pressed up against his.

"Missed you," Duo mumbled after a spell.

"I was only gone for two weeks," Wufei smiled, pleased beyond what was reasonable that someone had missed him-what ridiculousness.

"Long two weeks," Duo sighed, turning around and presenting Wufei with his back as he reached for the shampoo bottle. "Soap me?"

Wufei took the bottle from him with a mischievous grin the other couldn't see and poured a generous amount of the thick, gel-like substance into his palm. He pressed against Duo's back as his fingers slipped between two muscle-toned cheeks.

"Mmmm... that wasn't what I meant," Duo purred, relaxing and opening himself for his lover's administrations.

"Wasn't it?" Wufei almost moaned, sliding one finger inside Duo's warm body. He'd missed this-more than he cared to admit.

"Mmm, God, Wufei, don't tease me," Duo moaned, rocking back into Wufei's hand and body.

"Tease? Me? I would never," Wufei chastised as his slid his shampoo-covered hand over his arousal and presented it to Duo's opening.

"Two weeks is an awful long time," Duo gasped, pushing back as Wufei thrust forward. "You must have really missed me to jump me the first time you see me."

Wufei's arms wrapped around Duo, holding him possessively. "YOU have an addicting body," the Chinese teen replied, sinking himself gratefully into said body.

Duo's answer was cut off by a cry and he had to brace himself against the wall to prevent either of them from slipping as Wufei began to pound into him.

It always ended too soon it seemed-with both of them panting as they leaned heavily against the wall; Duo still in Wufei's arms.

"So, what's this payback of yours?" Wufei asked, moving a soap-sudded hand over Duo's arm.

The long haired teen laughed. "It's a surprise. I'd tell ya, but then I'd hafta kill ya," the violet-eyed boy teased, turning in Wufei's arms and kissing him again.

"Hn."

"I wash you, you wash me?" Duo asked, clearly not willing to budge on this.

 

 

_~Friday Night~_

Duo was first to come down that night dressed to go out. The dark purple leather pants rode low on his hips and hugged his ass and thighs. The purple-grey-white camouflage shirt was about two sizes too small and clung to his chest and arms. His long chestnut hair was free from its braid but pulled back into a low ponytail. He grinned at the three young men waiting for him in the living room-who were trying so hard to make it look like they were doing anything but.

"Hey guys," he greeted, dancing over to the side of the couch where Wufei was sitting and Duo propped himself up on the arm of the sofa. "You guys wanna come with us?" he asked, knowing they were dying to know where and why.

Quatre cleared his voice and asked, "Where're you going?"

Duo's grin rose to new heights as he leaned over and draped an arm around Wufei's neck. "Heero and me are dragging Wuffers out to the *Karaoke bar*. You should come. It'll be a blast."

Wufei growled, pulling Duo off the side of the couch and onto his lap, slapping his ass affectionately. "Don't call me 'Wuffers.'"

Quatre looked over to Trowa, blue eyes glowing with the scent of devilish fun. "I think it would be fun," the blond said and his mate shrugged.

"Whatever," Trowa replied, not all too crazy about spending an evening at Maude's but assured it was better than spending an evening alone.

Quatre turned back to Duo and Wufei, who were casually feeling each other up. "Sure, we'll tag along-As long as you don't mind."

"More the merrier, right Heero?" Duo called and the three other men turned to see their fifth teammate standing in the doorway. Dressed in dark denim and a navy tee, the dark haired boy just shrugged.

"Who said I'm *going*?" Wufei asked, bouncing Duo off his lap.

Dou leaned back over him and asked, "Who said you had a choice?" before kissing him again.

When Duo pulled away to head off out of the room, Wufei looked over to Heero. "I didn't have a choice, did I?" he asked, pushing up from the couch.

"Don't worry, 'Fei," Duo called back to him. "If you don't enjoy yourself even a *little* tonight... I'll... " The long haired teen spared a deliciously wicked leer for his boyfriend. "Do *anything* you want to make up for it."

Wufei *looked* at him, thinking up just what exactly he'd have Duo first.

"Besides," Duo grinned, "You don't want to miss Heero singing, do you?"

"Heero? Singing?" Quatre asked, looking from one boy to the other. Even Trowa's eyebrows rose with amusement.

"Hai," Heero answered, nodding briefly.

"See!" Duo called. "Lots of fun!"

Wufei followed them out, sparing a look for his Japanese lover. "This I will *have* to see... "

 

 

The five young men could have easily piled into one of the larger cars in the garage but personalities and habits found them taking three different vehicles to the pub. Duo lead the way behind the wheel of a midnight blue all-terrain-roomy enough to toss Wufei's bike in the back. Heero sat quietly beside him. A large, iridescent ivory town car followed closely behind with Quatre and Trowa. Wufei and his motorcycle danced in front of, behind, and in between the two larger vehicles all the way there.

"You didn't have to tell them," Heero said after miles of nothing but Duo's singing and humming to fill the silence.

"Tell them what?" Duo asked, startled out of his reserve. His lover just frowned and stared at the road in front of them. "Oh, oh! You mean about you singing tonight?" Duo grinning. "I thought they might like to see you, you know?" Heero didn't answer. "You're not embarrassed, are you?" the longhaired teen teased.

Heero answered with another grunt. Duo just smiled and launched into another tune.

There was some crazy chick with frizzy red-blonde hair belting out the same tune when the five young men entered Maude's and made their way to an empty spot. They had to push two tables together to make room for the five of them since all the larger tables were already taken, but with Heero and Trowa doing the work, the other three didn't complain any. There was a splattering of polite applause from the audience and loud catcalls and shouts originating from the small outcropping of people the blonde had popped out of and was-gratefully-returning to now.

A smiling/wincing waitress made her way to them to take their order and when she'd gone, Quatre turned a winning smile on Heero. "So what will you be singing tonight, Heero? Do you have a song in mind yet?"

"Hai," Heero's expression dared anyone to say anything else.

Instead, Quatre turned to the lengthy boy at his side. "See?"

Trowa shot a long-suffering look at Heero before rolling his eyes and looking down at his beloved. "Quatre, I love you. I'll work for you. I'll play for you. I'll even beg you for sex if you ask me to. But I'm not going to stand up in front of a crowd of drunken men and women to sing for you."

The others smiled-it was a familiar exchange for them-while Quatre pasted a mock pouty frown on his face. It was almost a tradition for them now, ever since Duo had dragged them all here the first, second, fourth, fifth time. Duo had no problems getting up and singing on the small stage and after a couple of prompts he'd managed to convince the blond executive to join him-out here Quatre was just Quatre. Not "Mr. Winner, CEO of WIE." Out here he was just a teenager, like the rest of them, one who could drink and hang out like any other adolescent 17 years and older. Quatre had loved it and laughed at the others to join them. Heero, Wufei, and Trowa had staunchedly refused-until tonight, that is. Thus, in Trowa's mind, if the 01 pilot did go up there and sing tonight, he was a traitor to the cause. At least until the next round of drinks...

It was almost half past eleven before Heero finally stood and made his way to the stage. Quatre and Duo had both been up several times-solo and one duet for them. When the familiar opening chords blared out of the speakers, three men at their table looked wide-eyed from Heero to Duo and back again, quickly. Heero was about to sing what they'd all just unofficially titled "Duo's Song"-the one he *always* sang: "The Joker".

Duo leaned over the table so the others could hear him while Heero started singing the first stanza. Those violet-hued blue eyes, however, never left the face of his lover on stage. "Heero first sang this to me about a year ago. I'd been burning my candles out at both ends, trying to do too much, too fast. Home late every night, out again before morning shift everyday. I came home one night, late as usual, and he sang for me. I've been trying to get him to do it again every since."

"He's very good," Quatre offered in more of a conspirator's tone of voice.

Duo's smile twitched and he reached out under the table for Wufei's hand before leaning back into his Chinese lover. "I know."

There was a crowd of chicks lusting in front of the stage, shouting and screaming their encouragement for more of the hip-dips and pelvis swivels the young man on stage was performing with too much skill. To the people who thought they had known him best, it was like seeing a stranger wearing their friend's face, singing with their friend's voice.

"Some people call me the space cowboy!"

And then Heero was done, frowning with impassiveness as he passed the microphone over to one of the employees, pushing past the pond of girls trying to get his attention and congratulating him. Heero sat down and picked up his drink, downing the remainder of it in one gulp before motioning the waitress for another.

Heero gave the four boys at the table a scrutinizing look before halting on Duo's radiantly beaming face. "Happy now?"

Duo laughed, lunging forward to toss his arms around Heero's neck, pressing his lips against his. "Love you."

"Hai."

"Love you even more for this," Duo tugged on Heero's shirt, smiling against his lips.

"Hm?"

"Heero, you were really great up there!" Quatre called. "You should come up and sing with Duo and me!."

"Hn."

Wufei grinned and leaned forward, his hand slipping into Heero's thick hair, pulling lightly on his head, bringing Heero's lips to his. "You looked great up there," he said softly.

Duo wiggled in Wufei's lap, his arms still around Heero as he leaned back into Wufei. "So, when are you gonna go up there and sing for me, Wufei?"

The dark-haired Asian boy scoffed, a hand wrapping around Duo's middle. "Never. You don't want me to sing." Wufei smiled.

"Is that a threat?" Duo teased, eyes gleaming with renewed purpose. "Or a challenge?"

 

End Part 6

**Part Seven: Tellurium**

 

_April 198 AC_

Quatre stood at the bay window, staring out into the perfectly manicured lawns of his estate. Dressed comfortably in a familiar khaki pants and one of Trowa’s green sweaters, hands slipped into his pockets, framed by the window, the blond CEO of Winner Enterprises looked the picture-perfect example of a young billionaire at ease.

Quatre was more than just a billionaire, however, and he was nothing near at ease in spirit. Indeed, the young man was troubled deeply by thoughts that had, up until most recently, been kept at bay by day after day of full schedules and his fellow pilots to distract him.

Now, however, there was nothing to distract him from his thoughts. Wufei had enlisted Heero and Duo’s help on a difficult assignment, and Trowa had also agreed to tag along and help out as needed, leaving Quatre behind to attend the all-important meetings that swallowed his daily agenda in large gulps. Only, those all-important meetings had been cancelled thanks to a fire at one of the meeting halls and had yet to be rescheduled. Leaving him free, completely free… free to do nothing but think, and so he found himself standing in his home office, alone, thinking of a place he’d visited only once before, but that called out to him, like it was a part of him, or he a part of it…It called out to him through his blood, tingling his every nerve ending with recognition.

He’d only been there once, only seen the sea of white sands that stretched out across the land, running headlong into the shining, deep blue waters of the ocean. The palm trees and brightly colored houses and tents that decorated the otherwise bare landscape… The Sands. The ancestral home of the Raberbas, where his mother’s family had been born and raised…. Where the Tellurium Crystal lay.

He remembered his first visit, five months ago. He’d gone there and met the seven Behr sisters and Rashid. The one girl, Blaire, had taken him to the house where his mother had grown up; she led him through the halls until they stood before that door—the door to the Crystal’s Room. He had entered… alone… and that’s when the visions came. His mother, and her twin brother, his uncle… They had talked to him, asking him who he was and what his purpose was.

"To protect." His purpose in life was to protect… to protect not only the present, but the past and future, as well. Yes, he accepted that purpose, he accepted his purpose in life and for once, in a very long time, he’d accepted himself as who he was.

He wanted to go back. No, he *needed* to go back, he realized.

Since his lover and friends were going to be gone for the week anyway, surely no one would mind terribly if he ducked out for a couple of days to return to the Sands, right? Before he realized he’d made the decision, Quatre’s hand was on his phone, dialing his secretary’s number. He would be in the Sands by morning the next day.

 

 

Quatre laughed as he hugged Rashid firmly. "My friend, I have missed you!"

"As have I, you, young Master," the heavy bearded man replied, affectionately wrapping an arm around the blond man’s smaller frame, as if Rashid was afraid of crushing him.

Sitting on the veranda of the Raberba ancestral home some time later, Quatre calmly sipped his tea as he contemplated the renovation of his family’s home. It looked as beautiful and fresh as he remembered it in his visions.

Visions? Is that what they really were? He felt a hint of loneliness when he realized there was no one alive who could answer all of his questions about his family and this place… about the crystal.

"My friend," he said suddenly, settling his teacup back into its saucer. "I have many questions and few places, it seems, to find answers."

Rashid, who had just stepped out that moment, in time to hear Quatre speak, answered, "Than you have come to the right place."

"Have I?’ Quatre asked more of the wind than of Rashid. "I wonder… I feel the pull this place has on my soul, and I fear I might never be free of it."

The large man nodded, agreeing with his young master’s astute awareness of his home, and said not a word.

As if by some unspoken agreement, they had used the day to discuss matters closer to the present; ignoring the past that had called Quatre home to the land of the Sands, and instead talking about family and friends still alive. Quatre learned that the seven Behr sisters were actually Rashid’s nieces and had left the Sands shortly after the turn of the year. The girls had yet to check in with their uncle as to their whereabouts, but Rashid assured him that that was a common practice for the independent women his sister had birthed. That did not stop Quatre’s disappointment in not being able to talk with the girls—he had hoped to learn more about them; especially the one named Blaire who seemed to know so much about him. But, then, if they were Rashid’s nieces, then perhaps it wasn’t so special a thing that she should know him. Still, he would just have to wait his chance to talk with the sisters.

In return for Rashid’s revelation of his family’s well being, Quatre told Rashid all the news of his sisters and their families and how matters were going on at home with the five ex-pilots all living in the same house as they never really had during the war. Needless to say, the Manganac leader had much cause for laughter, though he did try not to laugh with Quatre as the young man gave the older an account of his sisters’ reactions to his choice of lifestyle. It was an effort in vain.

"Farrah has known since last year, of course," Quatre was saying, wiping some tears from his eyes. "She’s been pressuring me into going to gay clubs all year and throwing a fit when I refused. Of course, they really couldn’t say too much against it since both Fatina and Najila are in relationships with other women." Quatre shook his head. "They seemed more upset about the thought that I wouldn’t be able to have a son to name my heir until I pointed out that I could always have one special ordered."

Rashid nodded, sharing an amused smiled with his young master. "Many fine men start out that way."

Quatre nodded as well, allowing their conversation to lull into silence. "Thank you," he finally said quietly.

"Master?"

Quatre smiled into his teacup. "For accepting me even when I didn’t yet accept myself," he answered. "I used to hate my father, you know," he went on casually.

Rashid wisely held his tongue, allowing the young man to talk.

"Each horrible lesson, each horrible tutor… I hated more convincing myself that I liked it, convinced myself so well that I actually believed it for a while, and all for a man who cared more abut his image and job than about his family. That’s why my sisters stayed away. They didn’t like him anymore than I did… except I loved him, too, and I hated myself for loving a man who couldn’t love me back. I didn’t even understand why… I didn’t know what love was really supposed to be like until Trowa…."

Blue eyes looked up from his teacup, looked out across the night-darkened sand and sea. "You did not ask me to change who I am; you accepted me for who I was, even when I didn’t know myself, even when I was only my father’s son."

Rashid stood up and moved to leave Quatre alone, but he paused beside the boy’s chair, planting a large hand on the young blond’s shoulder and looked down at the golden-covered head. "In my eyes, Master Quatre, you were already someone special," the dark Manganac soldier said gravely. "And I know thirty-nine and four other men who agree with me."

He let his words hang in the air between them before leaving to go to bed.

That was only an hour ago, but the words and their meaning were still turning summersaults in Quatre’s head. He couldn’t fall asleep, even though he’d been laying in bed for more than forty minutes. He really missed Trowa—that was part of the problem, he knew. He’d gotten too comfortable curling up into the other man at night, falling asleep and waking up in Trowa’s arms…

The other part of his problem was his surroundings.

He was in his mother’s room—the room she grew up in, lived in until the day she married Quatre’s father and moved to the stars. He had explored the room and its adjoining rooms briefly when he’d first been shown to the room and told whom its previous occupant had been. It was softly decorated, with rich rosewood furniture and creamy white gauze hanging from the walls and windows and around the bed. There was a large but empty closet and a doubly large washroom with a deep, sunken whirlpool bath and a spacious refresher, too.

Looking around the bathroom now as he sat in his boredom and insomnia, he noticed something that had escaped his earlier inspection.

A seam in the wall behind the door. Somewhat intrigued but the musings of secret passages, Quatre got up, washed his hands, and then went over to the seam mark. He ran his hands up along the wall, feeling nothing out of place.

_Reach out._

Quatre frowned. It hadn’t been the first time he’d heard voices in his head, to be sure, but it was the first time he’d heard the voice so clearly. Most times when he’d experienced flashes of insight, they had come as more of an impression of words, their meanings. But this time, it was as if someone was standing right next to him and whispering in his ear. He knew enough, however, to trust his insights and without really questioning it, Quatre began to lower the psychic shields he kept in place around him, to hold himself separate from the world.

It was like opening a floodgate. Colors flashed before his eyes, even though his lids were shut; songs swam around his consciousness; and his hands moved over the wall with a familiar touch. A draft of wind wafted past his face, the smell of old musk tickling his nostrils, and he opened his eyes to see the wall gaping open before him.

Something inside him quickened—it was dark beyond the portal and no light from the bathroom penetrated the shadows. A moment of titillation—what was in there? What would he find?

Cautiously, he stepped past the threshhold, groping blindly along the wall for a light source.

"Illuminate," Quatre said even as the thought pressed into his mind. A soft light began building in the walls and Quatre found himself standing in a passageway. He looked forward and back as his eyes slowly adjusted to the softly lit hallway. Which way?

Without realizing he’d made the decision, his feet began moving towards the back. He walked on for several minutes before reaching a staircase. Up or down? Down. One, two, five, sixteen, turn left. A new hallway, threads in the wall lighting the way for him.  _Here, stop._

Quatre raised a hand to the wall, pressing his palm against the seemingly stone surface. He gasped and almost pulled back when a glowing green hand print outline highlighted his hand, but something held him fast to the wall. A blue bar of light scanned from his fingertips to his heel of his palm and back up again. And then the words " _Quatre Raberba Winner_ " scrolled above his fingertips in shining yellow-gold letters. " _Welcome_."

The wall before him seemed to just vanish and Quatre stood in front of another dark room.

"Welcome home, my son."

Quatre’s lips parted, his eyes sparkling with recognition of the soft, loving voice. His throat swelled with heart-wrenched tears as he breathed out one word: "Mother."

Quatrina Raberba Winner’s specter stood inside the room, shining before him, smiling at him. Beside her stood her twin, Kiell Raberba. Both beings were dressed in loose fitting white robes that hung off their shoulders and pooled around their feet. Quatrina’s long golden hair flowed unrestrained down her back; Kiell’s own unruly shag brushed devilishly along his shoulders. They stood close together, Kiell’s hand resting at the small of Quatrina’s back beneath the cascade of pale spun gold. Two pairs of azure blue eyes shined brightly as they stared at him.

"We’ve been waiting for you, Quatre," Kiell said, his voice as soft as his sister’s.

"Ever since that first day," she said, "When you first came to visit us, you have been ever on our minds and in our hearts."

"When you told us that… that your mother had died," Kiell went on, moving closer to his sister, "and that you were never given the chance to know her… that you didn’t know what the Tellurium Crystal was—"

"That your father was dead, too, and Kiell—" Quatrina lifted her hand to her brother’s chest. "That you did not know Kiell…"

"You are the last of the Raberbas, Quatre," Kiell said when his sister’s words failed her, lifting his chin with pride.

"There are things that you must know," Quatrina returned, stepping forward as her own chin lifted a notch or two. "Things that Kiell and I have grown up knowing and that you should have known, too." She stopped several paces away from him and held her hand out to her son. "It is past time you learn these things, my son."

"You are different from other people, Quatre," the man said, stepping forward now as well. "You are special."

"You’re a Raberba," she said with strong conviction. "With that comes responsibilities."

Slowly, Quatre stepped towards them, drawn in by their presence on his being. It was as if they were calling out to him without saying a word. And he went, agreeably.

"But first, let us talk of the crystal," they both said, and the darkness around them faded and Quatre found himself out on the veranda again. Only, it was a beautiful spring day, not nighttime like he knew it to be. Kiell and Quatrina were sitting at the table with a condensing pitcher of iced tea between them.

She motioned for Quatre to join them and he did, watching both their faces intently as they began to talk.

"The crystal allows us to see and talk to each other, Quatre," his mother told him. "It allows us to record our thoughts and memories, in a way, to record our very being. With the crystal, you can see back into the past—"

"Or forward, into the future," Kiell picked up. "To you, Quatre, we are of the past."

"But to us," Quatrina said, smiling fondly at him, "You are our future."

"But one thing remains the same, Quatre," Kiell said sternly.

"No matter what," his sister agreed, looking now sadly at the young man across from her.

"Though you can see forward and past with the crystal," Kiell said solemnly, "you can only talk to direct descendents or ancestors of yourself."

"Direct…?" Quatre asked, frowning and leaning forward.

Kiell nodded. "Yes. I can see you, your sons, your daughter, your grand-children and even your great-great-great grandchildren, and they can see and talk to me when they activate the crystal," Kiell said slowly, carefully. "But I can not see or talk to any of your sisters, Quatre, even if they were to physically touch the crystal. Your mother—"

"Because they are of my blood," Quatrina continued, "if they should ever touch the crystal, we could talk, if their blood is strong enough to connect with the crystal, of course—‘flesh of my flesh, blood of my blood,’" she quoted. "But even if they did come here, Quatre," she said forcibly. "Even if they touched the crystal, activated its properties, they would never be like you, my son, because you are the heir to the Raberba."

"The Raberba," Quatre turned the words over his tongue. He frowned as he watched their serious facial expressions. "You said that before, the last time I was here. But I don’t think I understand. What *is* ‘The Raberba’?"

Both Kiell and Quatrina leaned back in their seats, sharing a look. "The Raberba," Kiell finally said, "is usually a male descendent, but there have been a few cases where a female took position as head of the family."

"Then the Raberba is just another title meaning the person who is the head of the family?" Quatre asked, leaning forward, over the table.

"Yes," Quatrina answered slowly. "And no. It’s not always the first born child who leads their family, Quatre," his mother tried to explain. "But the one who’s more destined; whose soul is stronger and brighter and more pure."

"Our father," Kiell said, resting a hand over his sister’s, "was the second of two sons, and yet he was chosen to lead."

" ‘Chosen’?" Quatre’s frown deepened.

"Yes, by the crystal," his mother answered. "Kiell would have been the next leader of our clan," she told him, squeezing her brother’s hand affectionately, "had he lived to do so. Since he did not, his son has been chosen to lead our clan," she said as delicately as possible.

"I have a cousin?" Quatre asked feeling more confused than before.

Quatrina and Kiell shared a guarded look before Kiell hedged, "Well, yes, actually, you do. Two, to be truthful. But those two aren’t who we’re talking about, Quatre. We’re talking about you."

"Me? But I thought you said you’re—" The words choked off somewhere between his throat and his tongue.

"You *are* the next Raberba, Quatre," his mother spoke quickly into the silence that seemed to permeate the air suddenly, her voice ever soft yet firm as well.

"That is why it is important for us to tell you these things," Kiell added. "We want you to know the truth, because we value truth, love, and justice above all things."

"I did not love Isoldar Winner," Quatrina said, staring across the table at her son. "But I agreed to marry him. Our wedding put an end to an ancient family feud and allowed two adversaries and competitors to merge and join forces. Symbolically, that union is you, Quatre. It is one of the reasons I insisted you have my surname, too. That, and the fact that wherever you might go in the free world, you could use the reputation of the Raberba family to help you."

 

 

Despite his raging thoughts, Quatre had no trouble falling asleep the second time he went to bed that night. His dreams were weird, though—fragments of memories he’d never experienced; disjointed scenes of lives never lived. Still, he woke up the next morning, late but refreshed, to late morning sunlight pouring through the northern window. For minutes on end, he just laid there, letting his thoughts pick up where ever they chose.

31 sisters. Or half-sisters, as it were…

"It’s not bad, really."

Quatre looked over at the other side of the bed, not even surprised at finding a complete stranger in bed with him. A young man, about his own age of 17, Quatre guessed, with slightly darker blond hair that his own, almost a golden brown, and eyes that danced between being blue-green or green-blue. Quatre wasn’t sure. The boy was studying his fingernails with a somewhat guilty expression when he peeked over at Quatre.

"You’re not going to yell at me for coming here, are you?"

"Not that I know of," Quatre answered, pushing up to sit up in the bed with the other boy. "Is there a reason I should?"

The boy grinned at him—a devilish grin if ever there was one, and Quatre was reminded immediately of Duo. "Nope! Kiell told me to stay here and wait for you, so you can’t yell at me for following orders."

"Kiell did, huh?" Quatre folded his hands in his lap, wondering who the other boy was. "And what did he say to do once I got here?" The boy shrugged.

"I guess he wanted us to talk or something," he answered finally.

Quatre thought for a moment and then asked, "Do you know what the Tellurium crystal is?"

"Of course," the boy frowned at him. "That’s like one of the first things I ever remember. Coming down here and you taking us into the crystal room and telling us all about the crystal. You scolded me ‘cause you thought I wasn’t paying attention, and then you told me how very important it was and how I should be respectful and all that stuff," he said, sounding very bored with a speech it sounded like he’d probably heard a million times over.

"I showed you the crystal?" Quatre asked, and as he did, he had a sense of time slipping around him. It was hard to explain, the feeling of the very fabric of time, sliding across your skin.

When the boy nodded again, Quatre asked him to tell him what he learned about the crystal.

"Well," the boy began, "The Tellurium Crystal is the lifestone of the Raberbas. It allows us to slip in and out of time, to see the past, present, and future. It allows us to see each other," he looked at Quatre, "when we haven’t even met yet. You don’t know me, but I know you, because you haven’t met me, but I’ve known you my entire life. Because the crystal has touched us both, we can see each other. Because you’ve touched the crystal and filled it with your memories and thoughts and stuff, I can meet you when you’re just a kid like me, before you’re the big, all-powerful CEO of WEI."

Quatre smiled. "I hate to tell you this, but you’re too late. I’ve been CEO for over a year, now."

The boy’s blue eyes widened. "Damn, you really *were* young, huh?" Quatre nodded and a depressed looked crossed the boy’s face. "So I guess that means I won’t be able to see Sandrock, huh?"

"Um, no," Quatre answered, somewhat surprised that the boy knew the name of his gundam. He shook his head to clear it of thoughts of the white mobile suit and asked instead, "So if Kiell sent you here to talk with me, what do you think it is he wanted us to talk about?"

"I don’t know," the boy answered, getting out of bed and walking over to the window. "I guess maybe he thinks you were mad at him or something. Kiell’s real sensitive about stuff like that, you know? He feels real bad when people he likes are mad at him."

Quatre studied the boy’s movements. He was young—just a kid, even though they were probably the same age—and at some point in time, they obviously knew each other well. Who was he? His son? His grandson? And then the words that the boy was saying began to take root. Kiell? Mad at Kiell? He had said some things last night which may have led the other man to believe that, hadn’t he? "Mad?"

"Yeah, well," the boy shrugged. "I know I really hate it when you get mad at me." Seemingly large blue eyes looked up at him from a face turned down with sheepish uncertainty. "I mean, you can get pretty scary when you’re mad, Dad."

"I don’t mean to be scary, I’m sorry if I’ve scared you," Quatre replied, standing up now also to move to the window.

The boy shrugged again, and this time shot Quatre a conspirator’s knowing grin. "It’s alright. I’m sure I deserved it lots of time." He motioned out the window, pointing at something. "My girlfriend," he told him, even though Quatre saw no one. "No, you can’t see her now, I know," and the boy grinned once more at him, "but you’ll know her well one day." Obviously the girl in question had said something that Quatre could not hear because the boy turned back to the window and called down, "Alright! I’ll be right there!"

"I’ve gotta go," he said to Quatre, heading for the door with a glow on his face. "But it was sure nice talking to you, Dad. It’s been sure nice talking to you."

The other boy was gone before Quatre had a chance to say goodbye. And it wasn’t until several seconds later that something dawned on him. "Dad," he whispered, a proud, beaming smile splitting his face. "He called me ‘Dad’."

 

 

Quatre sat in the library, surrounded by the books his mother and her family had read, soaking in the absolute calm that flowed through this place. A soft spring breeze wafted up off the ocean and through the house, chasing away the punishing heat of the desert, leaving the room cool and comfortable. This was the place that Quatre sought out to think over all he had learned. Here he thought he would be left alone in his solitude. He was wrong.

Half an hour after Quatre had retreated into the library, the doors were thrust open, startling him from his quiet contemplation.

"Did you think I would not know?" Quatrina vented, storming into the room, leaving the doors to bang shut behind her. "Did you think I would not find out?"

"Trina…?" Quatre felt his lips move, felt his muscles tighten as he stood—only, Quatre was still sitting, and Kiell now stood in front of him. "What’s wron—"

She flew at him, thumping her fists on his chest. "How could you?" she cried over and over again. "How could you?"

"Trina, Trina," he cooed, leading her back over to the sofa—Quatre quickly changed seats. "What’s wrong? Please tell me. You know I’ll do everything in my power to fix it."

"You can’t fix this," she whispered, her face buried against his shoulder and throat. "Why Amaria, Ki? Why her? You could have turned to anyone you liked…"

Kiell’s face pinched and his eyes fell shut. "I’m sorry, Trina," he whispered against her hair.

"Sorry?" she cried, pushing away from him angrily. "Sorry! Damn you, Ki! If Aba Behr were *ever* to find out she was in any way unfaithful to him do you know what he would do to her?" She tugged at her hands to free herself of him, but he staunchly refused to let go, pulling her back to him and into his arms.

"I’m sorry, Trina," he repeated softly. "There is no excuse I know, but know it was not my intention to sleep with her—"

"Intention or not, Ki, it does not change the truth," she said, her body relaxing and falling back into his. "She’s with child, Ki…your child."

His body stiffened there on the sofa where he held her against him. "Are you sure?" he breathed, dare not trusting his voice too much more.

She nodded, her face rubbing against his chest. "If Aba were to ever find out…. Isoldar only neglects my children and me. He would only be upset if we were to tarnish his precious reputation; But Aba…. Oh, Kiell, if he was ever to find out, he’d surely kill her—"

"Oh, sweet Allah…" He buried his face in Quatrina’s blonde curls, as if to smooth away the consequences of his actions. "Surely she will eliminate the child."

"Oh, Ki," she cried, holding him closer. "How could you even think of such a thing? Amaria would no more harm a child of yours than she would knowingly do harm to you. You are too dear to her heart, my dear brother."

"Then… then, I will stay away," he vowed. "And give Aba no cause to suspect…"

"Could you really stay away?" Quatrina asked with quiet disbelief, looking up at him.

He looked down at her, his eyes shining with conviction. "If it was to save my child," he whispered, "I could do it in a heartbeat."

She seemed to think this over before finally nodding her assent. "And what will you tell Rashid, pray tell? You know he worships you so."

"Rashid is yet a boy—"

"He’s in his twenties!"

Kiell sighed. "Perhaps I should offer to let him join me. Times are changing, Trina. The scent of war flies on the wind."

"I have seen the enemy, and he is us," she quoted.

"Yes… yes… I’ve been thinking," he told her. "I think perhaps I should see into reinstating the legacy of the Manganacs."

She gasped. "But—Kiell! We have been peaceful for decades now!"

"War is coming, Trina. You can sense it yourself," he said solemnly. "Would you leave our people untrained, effectively defenseless, when you know we will not always be here to guide them?" He shook his head. "No, they must be given the means to protect themselves until the next Raberba can come to them."

"But *you’re* the next Raberba," she cried.

He sighed again, and gently kissed her. "Quatrina Raberba, we both know I will not live long enough to guide him. I will train Rashid—"

"But—!"

"So that when our son returns home," he placed a hand over her empty womb, "he will not lack guidance."

"You seem so certain that you will die, Ki," she whispered brokenly, "when we do not know that as fact."

The heavy sigh tore from his chest. "I have seen our future, Trina, and we are no more than specters from the past."

 

 

"Rashid?"

The dark-furred man turned around at the desk he was seated at and stood immediately. "Master Quatre? You were looking for me?"

"How well did you know Kiell Raberba?"

For a moment the other man just stared at the blond Winner, and then he managed a, "Sir?"

"You’ve lived here all your life, Rashid," Quatre said calmly. "Your sister and my mother were good friends, and you knew Kiell Raberba. How well? What can you tell me about him?" He moved into the room and closed the door behind him.

 

 

Quatre spent three more days at the Sands. Many of those hours he spent locked inside a room with the leader of the Manganac soldiers. Others he spent by himself, seemingly talking to himself. Before the end of his first full day at the Sands, word had begun to spread across the land, carried on the tongue of the Manganac people. Everyone had the same thing to say.

The Raberba had been returned to them.

 

End Part 7 

 

 

### Part Eight: Goodnight Sweetheart

 

_May 198 AC_

"Thank you for dinner," Sally said as she began to stand from the cozy settee in the family room and take her leave for the evening. "It was very delicious."

Beside her, Anne stood as well, brushing a strand of dark ruddy brown hair back behind one ear. "Let me walk you to the door, Sally," she said softly, warm grey eyes looking up at the other woman.

Sally’s lips twitched in a small smile and she nodded, looking past the shorter woman to the little redheaded child who sat reading a book in a corner chair near the fire. "Night, Marie," she called, using the pet name she’d bestowed on the daughter of Trieze Khushrenada.

The child looked away from her book, a very serious expression on her young face as her blue eyes landed on the older woman. "Miss Po," she said, closing her book and standing. "May I ask you a question?"

"Of course, Marie," the woman smiled friendly-like. "You can ask me anything you like."

The girl crossed the room in easy, unhurried steps—the limp from previous months almost completely gone now—and when she stood only feet away from the older woman, the redheaded child looked up at her and asked, "Do you like Lady Une?"

Sally laughed lightly. "Of course I do, Marie. We’re very good friends. I like you, too, you know," she added affectionately, tapping the girl on the tip of her nose.

The girl, however, lost none of her seriousness. "You like her like Trowa likes Quatre, right?"

"Marie—" Anne started forward, but Sally stopped her.

The golden haired woman bent over until she was face-to-face with the child. "Yes, Mariemeia, I do. Does that upset you?"

"Then why don’t you sleep here with us anymore?" the girl asked instead. "In the country, you used to spend … but now that we’ve moved to the city, you leave every night." The girl frowned at the two women. "Quatre and Trowa sleep together. I know, Trowa told me. He said he liked Quatre so much that he wanted him to be the first thing he sees in the morning and the last thing he sees at night. And Duo, Heero, and Wufei sleep together, too."

Anne and Sally looked at one another, blushing prettily. "Mariemeia," Sally said, shaking her head and smiling. She brushed back her red bangs and kissed the girl’s forehead. "You are a very smart little girl, Marie. Very observant."

"You haven’t answered my question."

Sally grinned. "Because I don’t have a good enough answer for you," she replied. "Does it upset you that I don’t sleep here anymore?"

The girl seemed to pout, her lower lip inching out as she thought her feelings over. "Yes…" she began, "and no." She rubbed her eyes. "I mean, I want Lady Une to be happy, and she said you make her happy, so I guess I just don’t understand why you don’t want to make her happy anymore."

"Marie," Anne said gently, stepping forward and taking her ward’s shoulder in hand. "I think it’s time you go upstairs and get ready for bed. It’s late. You go ahead; I will be up shortly to tuck you in."

The child looked from one adult’s face to the other, and then went back to her seat to collect her things. The meanwhile, Sally carefully watched Anne watch the girl, trying to gauge the other woman’s emotions. Then Marie was gone, and the two women were alone.

Anne rushed to apologize, saying, "I’m sorry, Sally, I—"

"Shh." She placed a finger against Anne’s lips to reinforce the command. "She has a good point, Anne. Why haven’t we moved-in together?"

"I thought you…"

Sally inched closer to the petite woman. "You thought I what?"

"You never mentioned it before," Anne answered softly, looking away. "I thought you weren’t interested in living with Mariemeia and me now that she’s better." She couldn’t look the other woman in the eye; her chin pointed to the floor as she whispered the confession.

Sally’s fingers gently tipped her chin up until Anne was forced to look at her. "I didn’t say anything not because I didn’t want to, Anne, but because I didn’t want to rush you. I know it’s been difficult trying to adjust to having a child in your life, and I didn’t want to add any stress to what you’ve already been going through by suggesting we up the stakes in this relationship any." Sally lightly brushed her lips against Anne’s. "I really like you, Lady. I’ll even go all out and say I love you."

Anne’s lips parted as she took in a sharp breath, wide grey eyes staring up at Sally. Smiling softly, Sally traced a strand of hair away from Anne’s face. "I like how I get to see this soft side of you no one at work knows. I like how you can go from being a hard-assed bitch to play-do in 0.2 seconds flat. I like how your eyes get these tiny sparks of silver in them when you’re feeling playful and *lusty*," Sally whispered, pulling her body closer as her voice got more and more huskier. "I love how those tiny little gasps fall from your lips when I—" She leaned in and whispered in Anne’s ear, grinning wickedly when the other woman gasped. "And I really like this color on you," she added, her fingers fiddling with the soft ruddy brown strands.

"Stay tonight?" Anne asked, pulling away to look up at Sally, her eyes sparkling with silver specks.

"I’d love to."

Anne smiled and pulled away. "Let me just go check on Mariemeia, and then I’ll see you upstairs."

Sally kissed her again, promising her with a, "See you there."

 

 

She rapped lightly on the door before entering.

"Is Sally staying?" Mariemeia asked, coming from the bathroom already dressed in her nightclothes, with a brush in hand.

"For the night, yes," Anne answered, taking the brush from her and shooing the girl onto the bed. "Mariemeia, what ever possessed you to ask such a thing tonight?" she asked as she began to pull the soft bristle brush through the silky red hair.

"I want you to be happy," the girl replied, looking over her shoulder at her guardian. "Sally does make you happy, right?"

"Yes, I suppose she does," Anne mused.

"And don’t you like it when she’s here?"

"Yes, I do."

"Well," the child turned back facing forward once more, "IF she moves in with us, she can be here all the time."

Anne smiled and pulled the girl back against her. "You are a very special little girl, Mariemeia."

"Lady, please—"

Still smiling, she released the girl and started to plait the red hair. "You know, if Sally *did* move in with us it would mean some changes." The girl only nodded. "Marie—are you really okay with Sally being here?"

"Yes, Lady," she answered softly. "I’ve thought about it a lot, and I’d really like it if she stayed."

Anne left he girl reading in bed with a warning not to stay up too late, and then she headed for her own rooms in the other wing of the townhouse. Her heart was beating faster and her stomach was constricting with nervous tension when she reached her door, rapping quickly before entering.

"Sally?" she called, closing the door behind her.

"In here," the other woman called back. Anne turned back to the room and froze—or, rather, flamed.

"I know," Sally said, grinning. "I should really stop trying to wear your things. Especially when they’re too small and so tight…"

The dark emerald satin negligee fit like a second skin, covering Sally from chest to calve. Full breasts defied restriction and spilled out over the top. Thin spaghetti straps fell useless to either shoulder. She looked every inch a seductress as she stood framed in the bathroom doorway, one hand fisted on her hip, the other laying flat against her thigh, watching the other woman watch her.

"No," Anne breathed. "You look very nice."

Sally smiled, leaving the bathroom to saunter over towards Anne. "Just ‘nice’?" she asked.

"Good?"

" ‘Good’?"

"Very good?"

Sally stood before her now, looking at Anne with hooded eyes. "I don’t want to be good, Anne. I want to be bad… Very," she inched closer, "Very," she pressed her luscious body against Anne’s, "Bad."

Anne’s hands came up to her waist, dragging the satin material up Sally hips and feeling the lack of anything underneath. "Very, very bad?"

"Absolutely wicked."

Anne exerted some force and turned, pushing Sally against the closed door, her mouth angling down over the other woman’s. Sally moaned as Anne’s tongue plunged between her lips; Anne’s hand reached up and cupped one full breast, the other curving in around Sally’s waist.

"Oh, god, Anne!" She gasped, tearing her lips away in order to breath.

"What did you call me?" The other woman questioned, cool command lacing the heated air.

"Lady!" Sally gasped, spreading her legs for Anne’s hand.

"That’s better," Anne replied, grabbing Sally by the arms and tossing her across the room and onto the bed. Satin tore as she fell, stunned. Anne stalked towards the bed, eyes flashing as Sally laid back, looking down her body at the approaching woman. Buttons slipped free from their holes, the zipper hisses as a precursor to Anne’s business skirt falling free from her legs, leaving her dressed only in her blouse, which hung open nicely revealing her lacy bra, and panties. Sally’s hands ran up and down her satin-covered torso as she watched Anne’s advance. Clad only in her bra and panties, the other woman climbed up onto the bed, crawling over Sally’s prone, writhing body, dragging the satin negligee up with her until she completely covered Sally’s body with her own.

"You ripped my nightgown," Anne growled, her blood-rich lips hovering inches over Sally’s.

"I’ll buy you another one," Sally gasped, leaning upwards to taste Anne’s sweet mouth. Over their heads, their palms meet against the bed and fingers entwined.

And then Sally pulled a reversal, rolling until Anne was beneath her, sliding her tongue deep into her mouth. Anne moaned as Sally’s hands caressed her arms and waist, her sides and hips and thighs, trailing a blaze of fire across her body. Her lips left Anne’s to taste her throat and collar bone, to kiss the swell of each breast against its lacy restrainment. Deft fingers unhooked the front claws and the lacy material parted with each creamy globe, leaving the valley open to Sally’s face. Her hands dipped lower, easing between the lacy panties and silky smooth skin.

"Sally!" Anne cried, her body leaving the bed, displaying itself for the other woman.

Sally groaned, nibbling on Anne’s pert little breasts. "You’re all wet, Anne. Do you want something?"

Anne’s eyes sparkled and suddenly, she was looking down at Sally, grinning as she rubbed her clit against Sally’s fuzzy mound. Sally rocked up against her, groaning, "God, yes, Lady."

Sally reached up and pulled Anne’s bra off, leaving her pert little breasts to spring free, available to her hands, before pulling Anne down to her again and kisser her crazily.

It was several hours before they calmed down enough to actually attempt any sleep.

 

 

"Good morning, Lady, Miss Po," Mariemeia greeted the next morning when the other two women entered the breakfast room.

"Good morning, Marie," Sally returned, pouring herself a cup of coffee and some tea for Anne. "You’re up early this morning for someone who has no place to be."

"My tutors will be here soon," the girl answered, pushing her fruit slices around on her plate.

"Tutors, huh? What are you learning about?" Sally asked as she handed Anne her tea and picked up an English muffin with some raspberry jam.

"Boring stuff," the girl replied, unexcited.

"Boring stuff? What kind of stuff is that?"

"Mr. Gifford believes that I should know about prepositions and what irregular verbs are," Mariemeia answered. "The difference between integers and fractions and decimals; that man first traveled to the moon in 1969 ACE, and that the first successful colony was opened in 3 AC…" The redheaded girl sighed and frowned. "Miss Po," she asked solemnly. "Does it really matter if I know that ‘on, over, before, after, beside, in, and under’ are prepositions or that it took over a thousand years for people to get living in space right, or any of that boring stuff?"

"It didn’t take a thousand years," Sally smiled. "And knowing those things are just the building blocks to learning and understanding bigger and better things."

"I suppose you could be right," Mariemeia sighed, pushing her plate away. "But I don’t see how. If you’ll excuse me?"

Anne watched silently as the girl left the room, worried grey eyes staring after her, her lips sealed shut with concern.

"What’s wrong?"

Startled out of her own private thoughts, Anne turned and smiled at her girlfriend. "Nothing," she lied. "Just thinking of some reports on my desk I have to read."

"I know when you’re lying to me, Anne," Sally accused, leaning over the table and staring at her. "I already told you that those missions went well; reading the reports is just a boring formality."

"They wouldn’t have gone well if the others weren’t there," Anne countered, frowning.

"Oh, not that again," Sally waved her girlfriend’s frown away. "They *were* there, and things went fine."

"They might not be there next time—Remember, they volunteered to join you."

"Because Wufei asked for their help," she countered. "If we need their help again, all we have to do is ask."

"I would prefer it if they were part of—"

"You know they don’t want to get that involved, Anne," Sally cut her off softly. "They’ve been through enough already, practically fighting away their entire childhoods. Allow them a bit of a break."

"Like we haven’t?" Anne asked, hurt lacing her words. Her grey eyes wavered as they stared at the dirty-blonde-haired woman. "I—we’ve all been fighting, Sal, for a very long time, and even now, when peace has been won… even now, we are still fighting. Fighting to make sure we keep this peace, so that the next generation won’t have to fight like we did."

"There will always be fighting, Anne. You told me that yourself."

Anne stared at the fruit bowel. "I don’t want her to fight like we did," she whispered.

Sally reached across the table and covered her girlfriend’s hand with her own and said softly, "She won’t have to. She won’t have to."

 

 

Anne didn’t go to work with Sally that morning, telling Sally she had something she had to take care of and she’d meet up with her that evening for their dinner date. That other matter was Mariemeia, and when her girlfriend’s car pulled away, Anne turned back into their city townhouse and climbed the stairs to the third floor.

"Mariemeia?" she called as she rapped on the door. "May I come in?"

The door opened—and there stood the girl-child, her red hair gleaming, neatly brushed and held back with two blue daisy barrettes. The soft short sleeve sweater and the pleated cornflower blue skirt were free from wrinkles or stains. The white knee-high stockings were as clean as when they’d come from the wrapper, and her blue sandal shoes were free from any scuffmarks. The child was pretty enough to be a model, and held herself like a princess.

"You wanted to talk to me, Lady?" Mariemeia asked as she stared up at her guardian.

"How would you like to skip lessons today and take a ride with me out into the country," Anne asked, smiling gently.

Blue eyes studied her cautiously. "Have I done something wrong?" she questioned, not understanding why the Lady would want her to miss her lessons.

"No, no, of course not," Anne rushed, reaching out to the girl only to snatch her hand back nervously. "I—I am going out to visit your father’s estate, and I thought you would—you would like to keep me company," she answered weakly.

"I—" Indecision shook Mariemeia’s thoughts. Was this a test? Dekim had often times tested her in such ways. ‘Duty before pleasure, Mariemeia," was his lecture. ‘In order to be an effective leader, you must always choose duty over pleasure’ But—to visit her father’s estate--! To see where her father had lived, walk where he had once walked….!

Training won out, however, and regretfully, she declined the Lady’s offer. Anne, however, was not pleased with the girl’s answer and icy steel seemed to flow into her veins, chasing away any pleasantness of her demeanor.

"You *will* accompany me," Lady Une told the girl, and her tone accepted no refusal. Mariemeia stared up at the woman she’d lived with for the last four months, shocked. Never, never before had the woman spoken to her in such a tone.

"Y—yes, ma’am," she replied with wide eyes.

Nodding, Lady Une turned back the way she’d come and returned to her rooms. Half an hour later, the two sat in the back of the car beginning the ninety-minute drive to the country. It would be two hours before they reached the estate. In that time, the Lady worked on her computer and conferenced over the phone while Mariemeia stared out the window at the passing landscape.

We’re here," Anne announced, surprising the girl as the car continued to drive on through the countryside.

Mariemeia looked around them but all she saw were more fields and some woods in the distance. "I don’t see anything," she said, frowning.

"The main house is still 30 miles away," Anne told her, "but these fields once belonged to your father."

And the girl stared back out the window with new eyes, awed by the beauty of the land. When they pulled off the main road and onto a private drive, Mariemeia thought she might burst from excitement.

"Right around this turn, on the other side of these trees," Anne announced, "Is the main house." She turned off her computer and phone as Mariemeia held her breath—and gasped, eyes gone round as she first saw her father’s home.

When Mariemeia had first come to Earth, when she had left the hospital in Lady Une’s care and the woman had taken her to a country estate to recuperate from her injuries, she had thought the place huge. Afterwards, they had moved into the city townhouse so the Lady could be closer to her work, but Mariemeia remembered the country house well. That this… this was enormous. A mansion.

Five or six stories high, twice its height wide, with gardens surrounding its front and sides. How did one person live in a house so large? The driver pulled them into the circular drive, stopping at the bottom of the front staircase. Already a man was opening her door, before the car had even stopped.

"Welcome, Lady Khushrenada," the footman greeted, startling her. "Hello," she replied, accepting his aide in exiting the car.

Lady Une was already out and waiting for her at the steps. "Come, Mariemeia," she called; the girl hurrying to her side and whispering up to her, "He knows who I am!"

"Yes, I called ahead so they would be prepared for us," Anne told her, climbing the steps in no hurry.

"Oh." But Mariemeia looked back over her shoulder and found the man smiling at her. Up the steps and at the door, someone else was waiting to hold the large wooden portal open for them. "Good day, Lady Une, Lady Khushrenada. Welcome back."

"Thank you," Anne replied, handing the elder man her gloves and sweater. "How are your son and grandchildren?"

"All kicking!" the man answered, grinning as he took Mariemeia’s articles as well.

"It’s a pleasure to have you back, Lady Une," an elderly woman came up to them, bobbing her head eagerly. "Will you be staying long, ma’am?"

"No, thank you, Maude. We will be leaving sometime after lunch."

"Very good, ma’am. I’ll make sure you have something to take back with you into the city. " She winked at Mariemeia.

"Come along, Mariemeia, " Anne called out as she began climbing the staircase, trusting the girl to follow. They traveled up two flights and then turned down the corridor leading to the rear of the house. They went all the way to the end, to the very last door. Without hesitation, Anne went in, entering the office she was so familiar with…

She went straight to the large, dominating desk before the windows, moving to take up the seat behind it before looking at the child standing uncertainty just inside the room.

"This," she announced, "was your father’s office. Many of his decisions were made in this very room. Through that door were his private chambers. Through that one, a conference room. He could control the entire world from this room.

"The order to overthrow the Federation came from this room. When Romerfeller betrayed your father, they sent him here as punishment, not realizing that here was where he needed to be. Your father spent his last hours on Earth in this room. Near the edge of this property is a small airfield. It was from there that he left Earth for the first and last time."

She opened the bottom drawer and pulled out stacks of envelopes. "He constantly wrote—he would tell me they were letters, but he never asked me to mail any of them. When he died, when I finally came back here, I discovered these." She stared at the white envelopes. "I never had the courage to read them," she whispered, lovingly tracing one envelope with a finger.

Suddenly she stood and finally looked at the child. "Perhaps, Mariemeia Khushrenada, you will," she said, placing a hand on the girl’s shoulder as she passed to leave her alone in her father’s rooms.

 

 

Anne found that her wanderings of the estate brought her to the gardens. She was surprised to realize how much she’d missed the heady scent of roses, the soft velvet touch of petals against your fingertips and nose, the sharp reprimand of thorns.

"Treize-sama," she whispered, slipping naturally into formal Japanese as she studied one particularly spectacular bloom she knew he would have loved. "I am terrible with the girl. I still don’t know how to act around her… I—I never was very good with children. I really don’t understand them well at all. And she—she’s been hurt so much already. How can I possible do anything to help her?"

Have more faith in yourself, Lady.

Her eyes slid shut, her head bowed, smiling softly. She could still hear his voice. A year and a half after his death and she could still hear his voice…

She didn’t know when or how, but Anne found herself on her knees in the middle of the rose garden, tears running down her cheeks. "Treize… Treize… I’m scared of doing something wrong. Please, help me… I… I don’t want to hurt her, too."

Have faith, Lady…

In her hand, the rose she’d found bit into her flesh and a tiny river of red bled into the soil.

 

 

It was already late afternoon when Anne finally returned to Treize’s chambers to search out the child. Mariemeia wasn’t in the office proper where she’d been left. Indeed, Anne actually found the girl asleep in the large poster bed, curled up in a little ball, a parchment strangled in her small fist.

"Mariemeia? Marie? It’s time to head back."

"Mmn."

Tentatively, she approached the bed. "Did you read any of the letters?"

"Yes," the child replied, not turning over to look at the woman. "He… he writes funny," Mariemeia said softly, "And I don’t understand some of the words he uses."

Anne bit her lip—Had she done the right thing? Giving the child those personal letters without having read them first?

No, the father’s words—his thoughts, hid dreams, his soul, whatever he chose to leave in those letters—they belonged to the daughter. His daughter. Her daughter.

Anne’s throat constricted.

‘Her daughter’? Where had that come from? Mariemeia Khushrenada was her ward, nothing more. One last service to Master Treize. She was not her daughter…. She was not.

No…but…

Without understanding why, Anne reached out her hand to the child, her fingertips sliding over glossy, baby-soft red hair, off-handedly noting the tiny knots that were beginning to form.

Red. How in the world had the child ended up with such rich, flaming hair? Treize’s family, she knew, were mostly blondes or golden browns, and what she’d been able to discover about the Barton family, they were of similar color. Though, it was true that sometimes, when the light was right, Treize looked flamed-haired. Maybe it was a recessive gene?

Her communicator went off, causing Anne to jump and guiltily snatch her hand back. "Go," she snapped into the device.

"Mother may I?" a teasing, laughing voice asked.

Anne moved out of the bedchamber and into the office. "What is it, Sally?"

"Auh, now. That’s not the correct answer," the other woman responded. "You’re supposed to say, ‘yes, you may.’"

Anne slipped behind the desk and pulled up the vid-screen, connecting her communicator to it. "Is this a social call, or is there something you needed to tell me?"

"Yes and yes," Sally answered as her grinning face flared to life on the screen before Anne. " ‘Fei and I are going to check something out in the L4 area. We’re heading out in about an hour from now."

Frowning at her girlfriend, Anne leaned back in the executive chair. "There are over one hundred teams in this organization, Preventer Water. Why is it that only you and Preventer Dragon are capable of handling this assignment?"

Sally shrugged. "As long as we don’t miss our window, we’re closest right now; it’ll take us less time to get to the site. Besides, we’re not going in alone. TriDel is already in the area scoping it out for us."

Anne’s frown was darkening, but her girlfriend either did not notice or choose to ignore it. "I don’t like it," the head Preventer woman said. "You just got back from assignment."

"It’ll be fine," the honey-haired woman insisted. "We’ll be back in a couple of days and then we’ll talk about where we can put my stuff, ne?"

Finally, Anne smiled. "Flea Market, I say."

"I think not! Hmphf!"

"Be careful," Anne whispered, all serious once more.

Sally smiled at her, winked and blew a kiss. "Where would the fun be in that?"

And then Anne was staring at a black screen.

 

 

"It’s a shame Q-man doesn’t have business up there this week, or else we could’ve visited that little strip club he was telling us about!" Duo Maxwell teased his dark-haired Preventer boyfriend when Wufei called in to let the others know he was going out of town for a few days on business. "You’re just lucky I haven’t made any special plans yet!"

"Oh?" Wufei tried his best to hide the laughter he felt bubbling up inside of him in face of his boyfriend and lover. "And why is that?"

"Because," Duo replied, grinning, "If I had, you wouldn’t be allowed to go play with your little girlfriend! I would be forced to ground your ass to the house indefinitely."

"Oh really?" Wufei asked, amused now more than ever. And then, as an afterthought, he added, "And she’s not my girlfriend, Maxwell; she’s my partner."

"Yeah, sure, whatever," the other teen continued to tease. "You don’t think Heero and Me don’t know you’re boinking her every chance you get? That’s why you’re always so anxious to leave us and go on these missions!"

"Duo…" the Chinese Preventer warned, growling low in voice.

Duo visibly shivered. "Oooh, I love it when you talk to me like that!" And then he laughed. "Okay, okay, okay. You just take care of yourself out there. Watch your back and come back to us safely, got it? If you need any help you know what to do!"

Wufei smiled and blew the other man a kiss. "Lover you, too," he said before the vid-phone died.

"Do you have your permission now?" another teasing voice asked from behind.

"Onna no baka," he humphfed… and then grinned. "Yes."

Sally just laughed—it was always safer to tease the Chinese man after he’d talked to one of his friends. They were good for him; a calming, loving influence on him. "Come on, let’s get going," she charged, swinging up her bag onto her shoulder and turning to head for the spaceport.

The hardest part of getting into space was getting an open window. At the commercial airports, the problem of windows could cause massive delays—sometimes lasting days. Since the Preventers’ Defense Unit had sprung up from the ashes of military forces throughout the earth sphere, however, they were given sole rights of former OZ and Federation bases, and some of the Romerfeller ports, too. Preventer jets, unlike commercial jets, did not *have* to wait for an available window—it was only prudent to do so.

"Systems, All-clear," Sally called back from the cockpit of the B-class shuttle.

"Pre-flight check," Wufei called back, climbing to the front, "all-clear. We’re good to go," he added, moving into the pilot’s chair next to his partner.

"Great. You wanna take us up, flyboy?" the woman grinned, strapping in.

There was a glint in those onyx eyes before Wufei replied, "with pleasure."

 

 

_My Sweet Lady,_

_I see the pain in your eyes and I question what sort of beast could have put it there. A beautiful soul, torn in two because you could not bare the deeds of the past. Come, my lady, you are mine now. I shall nurse you back into the kind, genteel woman I know resides in your heart._

_Sincerely,_

_Treize Khushrenada_

_My Strange Little Princeling,_

_How you try to hide who you really are. Your anger amused me when I refused to call you by that false name you have chosen for yourself. How clever a name choosing it was, though. Do you know, it took me near a week to understand why "Zechs Merquise"? You have a cunning mind, my friend. One I should like to see more of, I think, in the future. You and the spitfire snip of a girl you keep at your side. Yes, I shall keep my eye on you and see what role it is you have to play in this grand drama that is to unfold in our lifetime. Yes, the orphaned prince of a once leading country… a most influential character in our play, I’m sure. I wonder how much you know about the truth of Sank’s fall…?_

_Your New Friend,_

_Treize Khushrenada_

They were all like that—never addressed to an actually person, only ever "My Lady", or "My Eternal Friend", never with a date on them. Always with a salacious farewell and his name… The words swam in her young head, tripping over each other. From some of what she knew by listening to Dekim fuss or the Lady talk she was able to guess at what or whom her father was talking to in the letters.

His Lady… that must have been Lady Une. And the young princess who would play at being a queen, Miss Relena; leaving the prince he spoke of to be her brother, Zechs. She wondered at the importance of his name, though. She knew, from her grandfather, that Zechs Merquise was really Milliardo Peacecraft, Relena Peacecraft’s brother, but that he chose to be called Zechs. Her father had figured out why, but it didn’t tell the secret

It was like reading a journal—a diary; reliving the past. Her father’s life between her fingertips.

She was both saddened and excited when Lady Une had come in to tell her that they would stay for the evening. Saddened because she knew it was only delaying the inevitable time when she would have to leave; Excited because it gave her more time to look around this grand house that her father had lived in. She asked the lady if she might keep the letters, bring them back with her.

"They are yours now, Mariemeia Khushrenada," the lady spoke solemnly. "What you choose to do with them now is no one else’s concern but your own, but I charge you to take good care of them for they once belonged to a great man."

"Yes, Lady." She would. She would treat them like the treasure Lady Une believed them to be. In truth, Mariemeia thought them a treasure, too. Her father’s treasure, which was now hers. Packing the letters safely away in an attaché a servant found for her, Marie took off to discover the large house in the remaining hours left to her.

She found it to be much like the governmental buildings she’d visited with Lady Une on occasion. The difference here, though, was mainly the beautiful grounds that surrounded the main house—beautiful gardens full of blooming, colorful, fragrant blossoms. And the rose garden….

Roses were her father’s favorite flower—everyone knew that—but standing here, in the middle of his garden, she could understand why.

Breathtaking.

She took some of her father’s letters out, there in the middle of the rose gardens. Sitting on the stone bench, she thought she could *feel* her father’s presence more strongly than ever before…

_Sweet Cousin,_

_I am sorry for your loss. One so young should never know what it is like to loose both father and mother. Mother tells me you shall come to Rose Hall this summer and stay with here. I am glad; you both need someone to watch over. I, myself, plan to visit Rose Hall this summer. It is my intention to bring Milliardo with me, whether he yeas or nays it. His determination to be the best and take revenge for his past grievances burns bright, but it is the bright lights that burn out quickly. It is best to know when to shine bright and when to shine none at all, but relax. Perhaps you both could learn something from one another this summer. I look forward to seeing you both together, two lost, orphaned souls. Yes, it should be an interesting summer indeed._

_With Love,_

_Treize Khushrenada_

_My Eternal Friend,_

_No matter what may happen between us, I will always think thus of you. You are a piece of my soul, a piece that I have hurt, and I am sorry. I grieve, Milliard. In these days when Durmail thinks he can rule the world, I miss you terribly. Your sweet face, washed in determination, desire, passion. I miss the touch of your soul and I wish terribly that you were here with me in this home that is a prison. But even if your body cannot be here next to me, your thoughts are always present. I am making a gift for you, my lonely prince. A present with which you can continue your fight, even when the spirit within you fails._

_Ah, but what am I saying? You have never failed my, Milliardo. You have willingly died for me. Would I be so brave as to do the same? Die for you, if that is the price this war demands? I hope so, for I fear that **is**  what will be asked of me…_

_Zutto,_

_Treize_

_Dear Sweet Child,_

_A child. I will not ask how or why the stars have bestowed such an honor and yet such a curse upon me. To know that there is a soul that breathes because of my actions… and, yet, to know that I will never be allowed to hold that soul in my arms… look upon it’s young, smiling face._

_I will do as you ask. I will not try in any way to contact you or yours… but I wish you had not told me. Then I would not look at every child’s face I pass and wonder._

_Child of mine, who I may never claim as such to the world… I pray you be well. Healthy in life, wealthy in virtue, and wise in any relation. I pray that this war that is approaching our world fast never touches you; that you are safe from its touch. I pray that one day, you will learn the truth, my child, and know it for yourself. Know that I have known you and loved you every day of my life._

_Ai shiteru,_   _zutto,_

_Your Father_

Young fingers traced the black ink scrolled across the paper as tears slid down her rosy cheeks.

 

 

Wufei lowered the binoculars with a snort, handing them over to Sally. "Amateurs," he grunted.

"You would rather be home tracing files?" she reminded him, silently sharing his disgust at the people in the warehouse across the street.

There was movement behind them and the hatch to the roof was pushed opened and two figures climbed their way over to their position. "Six insides; Two more in the back," the man whispered. "They’re scared."

"As well they should be," the youngest member of the team answered, dark eyes glowing with an inner light. "Justice is about to rain down upon them."

"Okay," Sally said, ignoring her partner as she looked at the other pair. "Dragon and I will take the back. Wait five minutes before going in. We’ll meet you inside. Minimum casualties, people."

"Acknowledged," Rock and Cheetah chimed in unison as Wufei and Sally headed to sneak around back.

"I’ll distract," Sally whispered, catching a quick glimpse of the two men guarding the back door and shedding out of her Preventer’s jacket. "You take out. *Quietly*," she stressed, barely waiting for his "ryokio" before taking the corner at a leisurely pace and strolling right up to the men.

"Hi there," she called out. "Maybe you could help me?" They didn’t have a chance to reply before their faces were kissing the cement ground. "Took you long enough," Sally smirked.

Wufei humphfed and pressed against the door, testing it. It gave way and, cautiously, he went in, Sally right behind him, gun at ready.

Six men—offset, four and two. Everyone was hot; four openly showing handguns still in their holsters, the other two packing in their jackets by the looks of it. One of the two men looked to be begging his friend to leave, but the friend didn’t look in the mood to be persuaded. Too bad.

"You have thirty seconds to drop your weapons to the floor!" Rock shouted from the shadows across the room.

Wufei snorted, that was much nicer than he would have been, and still they weren’t cooperating. He shook his head reproachfully as he shot the firearm out from one man’s fingers. "Uh uh uh," he called. "That’s not the way to drop your weapons."

Someone shot at his position, nicking the crate he was ducked behind. Four more shots got off, before Rock, Water, and Cheetah contained the six men. He held back, his senses tingling, eyes darting to each corner of the room.

There!

He shouted, reaching out for Sally even as he aimed and fired at the shadow. He hit the ground on his side with an hard <<OOMPH!>> and rolled until the Chinese woman was safely beneath him. "You okay?" he asked, catching his breath as he stared down at the startled woman.

She stared at him, still surprised, nodded as Preventer Cheetah rushed over to them. "Make that seven inside," the African woman growled. "Are you alright, Preventer Water? Preventer Dragon?"

"Fine," Wufei gruffed, pushing up off Sally and helping her up.

"You’re bleeding."

Wufei looked at where she was looking and noticed the torn fabric that was quickly darkening. "A scratch," he dismissed the wound. "Let’s finish up here and then we can take care of it."

"You should let me take care of that first, so infection doesn’t set in," Sally argued.

"It will be fine, woman." And then he smiled. "I will let Heero look at it when we get home. He is the Reiki Master."

Sally just laughed and shook her head. "You just want to have a good excuse to be babied by your boyfriends, I see how it is!"

"Now that you mentioned it," Wufei grinned at her, "I think I might have bruised my back during that fall…"

 

 

Two days after her visit to Rose Hall, Mariemeia asked to meet with Dorothy Catalonia. The blonde young woman was somewhat surprised by the request and almost turned it down before Relena told her to go. Dorothy went to her, meeting her in the parlor of Lady Une’s capital city townhouse.

"Good day, Mariemeia Khushrenada," the blonde woman said as she entered the room where the child was waiting, not bothering to hide her disdain at being summoned as t were. "I understand you would like to talk with me?"

The child nodded, not standing as the woman entered the room. "Yes, good day to you, Miss Catalonia. I thank you for coming."

Both girls, though a decade separated their births, recognized something in the other, and unknowingly, their smiles turned more genuine.

"Tea?"

"Thank you."

"I understand you knew my father?"

"Quite well, yes."

It was a game, a battle of words. One both females had been well trained in.

"Tell me," Mariemeia said suddenly, breaking the moment of silence. "What was your relationship to my father, Treize Khushrenada?"

Dorothy finally sat back in her chair, more comfortably. "You mean to ask if your father and I were intimate, no? If we were lovers?" she turned on the child.

Mariemeia stiffened in her chair. "I would not know of such things," she returned.

"No, indeed," Dorothy smiled, clearly not believing the child. "Your father and I are—were cousins," she answered sincerely. "Our mothers, sisters. Though he was more like a brother to me."

The redheaded child frowned. "Then we are cousins, too?"

Dorothy nodded, sipping more of her tea. "In truth, second cousins."

"Then why…?" Her small frown deepened.

"Why are you not in my custody?" Dorothy guessed. "Simple," she answered when the child nodded. "I am too young to care for a child, even one who shows as much intelligence as yourself, Mariemeia. I have no desire to deal with children, let alone become the mother of one."

Mariemeia stared at the blonde woman, shocked by her honest, if callous, answer.

"Besides," Dorothy continued, waving off handedly. "They would never have allowed two enemies to reside together."

"Two… enemies?"

Dorothy nodded, almost solemnly if not for her smile. "I for my involvement with White Fang; you for, well. You know your part."

The child nodded, thoughts tumbling over themselves in her small head. "You worked for the Rebellion, then."

"No." Dorothy’s voice cut through the air, so frigid that even the breeze froze. "I worked for myself. There is no point in doing anything if it does not ultimately serve yourself, Mariemeia. I served Milliardo and his White Fang because that allowed me to be in the middle of battle, to participate in the battle with little threat to myself, to pit my skills against those of the gundam pilots. I did not fight for anything so noble at the colonies’ freedom. In truth I could care little for the people of space. I think they are fools for wanted to leave Earth, and good riddance to their leaving."

She didn’t know what to think of this only living relative of hers, but she knew there was much to think about. Dorothy’s words played over in her mind long after the blonde woman left, long into the night and for many days there after.

 

 

Saturday was a hectic day at the townhouse: Sally was finally moving in with them. Mariemeia helped for a little while, before Sally and Anne began arguing over where some lamp would go, and then the girl gave up on being useful and took herself to the small park on the corner of the street, her father’s letters in their attaché case with her.

The more she read, the more she felt like she better understood the man her father was. Though some of the words and their meanings escaped her, she was able to piece together much of the story, feel many of the emotions that seemed so thick in each letter… And more and more, she believed her father was someone very special.

Sally had been living with them for two weeks when Mariemeia finally broached the subject that had occupied many of her thoughts since her talk with her cousin Dorothy. She waited until after dinner, when the Lady seemed to be in a happy mood over the news Sally had brought home: the gundam pilots had agreed to join the Preventers. Mariemeia wasn’t exactly sure why this made the Lady so happy, other than thinking that she, like Mariemeia, really liked Heero, Wufei, Quatre, Trowa, and Duo and so she was happy that they would be working together. She had thought to ask the Lady after they had retired to the sitting room with books and papers…but the nerve failed her.

It was as she was slipping into bed and the Lady came in to tuck her in that she finally said something.

"Lady?"

Anne smiled softly down at the child, brushing away golden red hair from her face. "Mm?"

"Would you—have you… ever thought of me as your daughter?" she asked softly, cornflower blue eyes darting away from the woman’s face as if afraid to see the woman’s reaction.

For her part, Anne was in shocked by the girl’s question. Carefully she swallowed back the irrational tears that threatened to fall and asked instead, "Would it upset you if I told you ‘yes, there have been times when I have thought of you as my daughter’?"

Mariemeia braved a look at the woman, and found to her astonishment that there were tears in the woman’s blue eyes. Slowly, she shook her head, her tiny rose lips parted, her large eyes larger with surprise at the woman’s reaction.

Anne forced a smile onto her face and cupped the child’s soft cheek. "Yes, Mariemeia," she answered softly. "There have been many times when I have thought of you as my daughter."

"Would it… would it be alright, do you think, if… if maybe I could call you… call you ‘mother’, sometime?" she asked hesitantly.

The woman sitting next to her on the bed nodded, impatiently wiping away the rebellious tears that were slipping down her cheeks. "I think I would like that very much, Marie…I think that would be quite alright."

Impulsively, the girl darted up and wrapped her small arms around Anne’s neck, pecking her cheek quickly and whispering, "Goodnight, Mother," before falling back into bed and shutting her eyes tightly.

With her third surprise for the night, Anne mildly wondered if there would be anymore before she went to bed. Smiling, though, she leaned over and kissed the girl’s forehead, whispering, "Goodnight…sweet heart."

 

End Part 8

 


	5. Chapter 5

 

### Part Nine: Falling Hearts, Rising Graces

June 198 AC

Mars Colony, The Hub

Noin sighed heavily as the hot steam of the refresher surrounded her. She didn’t know what was getting to her more—the stress of trying to set up an official government on Mars….or Zechs.

They have been friends and partners for a very long time, and she wouldn’t deny it--There were many times when she hoped they could be more than just friends and partners. In the six months they’d lived on Mars, they’d shared sex twice. Two times and both had been when she’d actively pursued the coupling. Afterwards, Zechs never acted as if something had happened. They went back to being just friends and partners.

That was hard on her. Very hard. She wanted to shout at him, hit him and call him ten different kinds of bastards.

But she didn’t. She couldn’t. She just followed along and played the game like nothing had happened.

She wasn’t stupid—at least, she didn’t think of herself as stupid… She knew that Zechs and His Excellency had been—dare she say it?—lovers. But she also knew that other than Relena, she was the other living person Zechs ever showed any caring for. Treize was gone, Relena was a big girl now who didn’t need her brother’s protection, and Noin… she was very, very lonely…

And it was wearing on her. Taking more out of her than this hassle of setting up a government on the red planet. She was too tense; sprung tighter than a spring. She needed to do something before she popped….

Stepping out of the refresher, snatching up a towel on her way, she entered the bedroom portion of their apartment and slapped Zechs’s leg. "We’re going out," she decided.

The pale blond man looked up at her from under his arm as he lounged on the bed doing absolutely nothing. "Excuse me?"

"Get dressed," she ordered, replacing the towel with a pair of panties and a bra. "We’re going out."

"Luce--!" the grown 6’2" man whined. "It’s *Saturday*--!"

She turned and shot his protest down with one glare.

Sulking at having his rest day intruded upon, but thinking better of arguing with his dark-haired partner when she was most obviously in a ‘mood’, Zechs obediently slid into a pair of dark grey pants, a motley white-grey-and-black tee, and snatched up his black jacket before following her heels out the door and into the streets of the Hub.

"Luce…this is a hacker stop," he said, staring up at the tiny pawnshop she was turning into.

"Yes, so it is," the woman replied. "Let’s hope they have what we need."

Shaking his head, but not ready to argue with her, he followed her in just in time to see her talking to the couple behind the counter and the man’s face lighten as he darted into the back.

"We have so many soldiers who come to Mars now, you know," he heard the woman saying as he approached the counter.

"Here we go!" the man returned, carrying—

"Swords?" Zechs asked, turning to his partner.

"Yes, these will do nicely…" Noin almost purred, reaching up to take a blade.

Specials’ class—just like her one back home; fit like it belonged in the palm of her hand. The blade itself was a little dull and nicked, but nothing too damaging. Nice balance of weight….

"Pick one, Zechs," she told her partner, giving the sword in her hand a little twist.

He did, choosing one that was more after the Romerfeller’s design of the aristocrats, but good and effective none-the-less.

She paid for the blades, purchasing some care kits as well, before leading him back out onto the streets and into the spaceport.

"What are you planning, Noin?" he asked as she headed straight for one of the empty hangers, walked straight to the center, pulled her blade from its scabbard, tossing the sheath away as she turned to face him with a raised blade salute, and said, "Defend yourself, Zechs."

The blade sliced through the air with a downward sweep.

"You can’t be serious," he replied, staring at her with disbelief. What game was she playing at, anyway? "I haven’t played with swords in over… two years?"

"When?" she demanded, slowly advancing on him.

He thought back… yes, that last time. He could still see the smile on his ginger-haired lover’s face as Treize teased him for spending more time in a mobile suit than practicing his other defenses. Zechs had argued that—

He reacted on honed skills that, despite their lack of use in two years, still were like second nature to him—bringing the sheathed sword up to block Noin’s strike. She was pulling back for a second strike before he had a chance to release his blade. He turned, side-stepping her third and fourth attack. The fifth and sixth strikes were his.

The ringing cry of swords as metal struck metal echoed in the hanger.

Sweat was dripping from his bangs, plastering his tee shirt to his back and chest. Across from him, Lucretia was red-faced and panting; her shoulder-length dark hair pulled back into a short ponytail. He was startled to realize how long the woman’s hair had gotten. As a rule, OZ members kept short hair. It was like another separation from the War… They were no longer soldiers. No longer soldiers, but they were still fighting.

Zechs attacked, muscles aching as he pressed on speed that he hadn’t needed to use in ages. With a sharp twist he managed to knock the sword from her hands. His mistake was backing off.

"Never lower your defenses, Milliardo. Even when your opponent seems defenseless."

The words of wisdom sprung to mind even as Noin’s kick knocked him to the ground. There was a splattering of applause from the crowd of people who had followed the clamor into the hanger and were watching the sparing. He rolled quickly to his feet as Noin scuttled for her sword. They faced off again.

"How long do you plan to continue this, Noin?" he asked as they circled each other.

"How long until you fall?" she returned, attacking.

Block, block, parry, thrust, turn, block, strike, guard. Forward, advance; backwards, retreat. The dance of swords. Pitting skill against skill. His blood was singing with exhilaration; his muscles screaming protest at the workout. It felt good. It felt real good, he decided and laughed.

"Let’s see if your still smiling when you’re kissing Mars turf, Zechs!" Noin taunted, retreating to his advance, turning and smacking him on the ass.

The crowd was hooting and hollering, cheering them on. It was an added stimulant, exciting their blood further. They were both swaying on their feet now, too stubborn to back down.

"What’s going on here?" a woman’s voice demanded.

Zechs used the momentary distraction to once again knock Noin’s sword free, and this time he followed through, snatching her wrist and twisting it behind her back. "Do you yield?"

Blue eyes flashed with fiery spirit. "Never."

She twisted, dipping and pushing his weight up and over her shoulder. He landed on his back with a loud <OOMPHF>\--but he held on to her, and she yelped when he pulled her down with him. He rolled, pinning her to the ground and grinning down at her.

"Now do you yield?"

"It’s looking more plausible," she replied, struggling to free her wrists from where he held them over her head.

There was cheering and groaning as people who had placed bets on the outcome of the fight now had to pay up.

"Good," Zechs grinned, levering up so he could look down at her.

Someone’s blue shoe was tapping impatiently right next to them. Zechs and Noin both looked up into the face of a very pissed off blonde woman.

*

"I didn’t realize you would be joining us so soon, Representative—" Noin was saying before being cut off.

"Well, that’s a relief," the blonde woman snapped. "And here I was worried this was how you treated all political candidates."

She sighed, falling into the seat behind the desk. "I apologize," she said wearily. "Traveling with a two year old is never fun. Please, let us try again?" The woman’s bright and sincere smiling radiated off her face as she stood again and approached the two Preventer agents.

"Preventer Wind? Preventer Fire?" she greeted, shaking their hands. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you. I am Ranalyn Winner, candidate for the Mars Representative Council."

Zechs and Noin took another look at the blonde woman, re-evaluating their impressions of her. Long blonde hair pulled back into a French knot; conservative styled blue dress suit; large blue eyes that radiated sincerity and a caring personality…. They wondered if there was even a point in meeting the other representative canidates.

 

 

"I knew there was going to be a lot of work," Ranalyn Winner was saying as she, her husband Kersen, their two-year old son Kersen Jr, and the two Preventers sat at one of the few restaurants in the Hub area. "I just didn’t understand how much."

"Well, I can tell you things have already improved quite a bit since Earth Sphere passed that bill three months ago," Noin replied, watching Zechs as he played with the toddler.

"Still…" the blonde woman shook her head. "I’ve been getting updates from WEI and I still wasn’t prepared. I marvel at how people have managed to live here this long in such—"

"Careful, this is people’s home now," Noin teased, knowing exactly what the other woman meant. "The Hub is pretty much self-contained for the moment. No atmospheric leaks or structure collapses in the last month. Some of the other clusters, though…"

Kersen grinned at them. "You just give me and my crew a list of all your problems and we’ll dig in on them like they are a chocolate cake to be devoured," the dark man promised.

"It seems WEI has a lot invested in this planet," Zechs said, looking away from the little boy who was banging his spoon on his high chair table.

"Didn’t you hear?" Rana asked, leaning forward with a teasing smile. "The Winners plan on taking over the planet and making our own little oasis!"

"Are you sure one planet’s big enough?"

 

 

She laid in bed waiting for sleep to come, but it didn’t. Looking at the small time piece on the nightstand she realized she’d been laying in bed for almost two hours. Too many thoughts were raging between her ears to let her body go to sleep it seemed.

"Zechs?" she asked finally. "Do you still think about him?"

No answer came, but then, she really hadn’t been expecting one.

"I know you… you loved him, very much, and even if I didn’t understand your motives during the war, I’m pretty sure you still cared for him… I just don’t understand how I fit into that. He’s been dead for two years…I mean, you’d think that I’d have a chance, you know? I’m pretty, I’m smart, can hold my own in a fight… what’s wrong with me that I’m not good enough to replace him?" she whispered to the darkened room.

"I still wake up sometimes, at night," his voice startled her and she felt her stomach harden, as if expecting a blow, "and I don’t remember, and I expect him to still be here…"

"Zechs…"

"You can’t replace him because I loved him." There was a half-laugh. "I would even die for him…." He rolled over on his bed until he was facing her in the dark. "I care for you very much, Noin, but I don’t love you."

There it was, and it hurt. "I know," she whispered back chokingly. "I know no matter how much I love you, you don’t love me back… I just don’t understand why…I…"

"Noin… I…" There was a rustle of sheets as Zechs kicked himself free from the linen and rolled out of bed. Tentatively, he crawled into bed with her and pulled her into his arms. "I’m sorry…." He said as he gently rocked her in his arms and she cried on his shoulder.

 

 

The artificial lights outside started brightening at around 0600 hours until 0800 hours, almost like a mockery of real daybreak. As a rule, Zechs and Noin usually didn’t bother getting out of bed before 7—luckily, neither one was really a morning person—but this morning waking up even at that late hour seemed cruel. She became aware of an almost uncomfortable feeling of being smothered before anything else registered. The heavy fatigue that comes with crying along with the headache was there, too—like a hangover, ready to greet her. For a moment, she wondered what happened last night.

And then she remembered and moaned.

Behind her, against her throat, Zechs sounded a protesting grunt and pulled closer to her.

Noin was suddenly wide-awake. His arm was acting as a pillow for her head, his leg thrown over hers, his other arm wrapped around her middle… ‘It would be so easy to… a little wiggle and shimmy… a bit of a moan…’ she thought even as her body obeyed.

Zechs’s body reacted, rocking against hers. "Treize…"

A sigh of defeat left her. "Zechs," she called gently. "Let me up, I need to get dressed."

"Hmmm?"

"It’s morning," she tried. "Time to get up."

Zechs moaned but obediently released her, rolling over to go back to sleep. Swallowing her bitterness, Noin waiting until she could lock herself in the refresher before sliding against the wall until she was huddled on the floor, crying, and wondering just what the hell she was doing on Mars in love with a man who could never love her.

 

 

"So we’ll meet Thursday morning," Quatre said, grinning at the two women as they headed purposefully down the hallway to the waiting shuttlecraft. "And you can give me those files to look over."

"How ‘bout I send your secretary those files now and we can discuss them Thursday during our match," Dorothy replied.

"Fair enough," the blond young man laughed. "I’ll have some time to read them on the shuttle—I hope."

"Good. They will be in your secretary’s hands in less than an hour."

Quatre shook his head—he didn’t doubt the other woman for a minute.

"Now," Relena said, reasserting herself into the conversation. "What news do you have out of Mars?"

The grin on the young man’s face widened. "I actually just talked to my sister earlier. She said she stepped off her carrier and the first thing she saw was a crowd of people circling around a sword fight going on in one of the hangers."

"A sword fight!?"

He nodded, his blue eyes twinkling with laughter. "Any guesses as to who?" The two women shook their heads. "It seems Preventers Wind and Fire were… honing their swordsmenship skills."

Dorothy laughed right out, while her companion looked shocked. "Mister Milliardo *was* a fine swordsman—almost as good as myself. Of course, he learned from Treize, too."

"Yes, well, apparently my sister scolded both of them before taking them out to dinner," Quatre informed them, chuckling now as well. And then he sighed, rubbing his face with hands, feeling suddenly very tired. "She says it’s a mess still there…"

"Well, we knew it would be," Relena reminded him, gently. "We’ve only really been able to get to work for three months now. It’s going to take time to get the Mars colonies in tip-top shape."

"I just don’t understand how people would be willing to live there in some of those conditions she described…."

"They think they are pursuing knowledge," Dorothy quipped, rolling her eyes.

"That’s great, but—"

"In twenty years," Relena cut him off, "Mars will be the poshiest place to live. The cream of the crop will have homes there."

"If we do our job right," he conditioned.

"When we finish our job," she corrected.

 

 

"Why is she here again?" Wufei asked his partner, eyeing the redheaded child distrustfully.

"It’s take your daughter to work day," Sally told him for what must have been the fifth time in the last hour alone.

"You’re not her mother," he pointed out.

She sighed, turning in her seat to freeze him with a look. "No," she replied with deadly calm. "Anne is, and in case it has escaped your noticed, not a lot of people are allowed into Anne’s office."

"Hmphf."

"Hey-lo peeps!" a chipper voice called out into the hanger.

"Duo! Heero!" the girl cried, running out of the office where Wufei and Sally were waiting. "Wow! You guys both look really good!"

"Thanks, Mei," Duo was replying as Wufei and Sally both left the office.

"Took you long enough," Wufei growled.

Heero just shot him a look before directing another pointed look at the child Duo was now conspiring with.

"Take your daughter to work day," the Chinese teen answered.

"She’s not your daughter," Heero calmly informed his boyfriend.

Wufei, for his part, turned to his partner and said, "HA!"

Sally ignored him and instead asked Heero, "Where’s Trowa?"

"With Quatre," he replied, before turning around to see just what exactly Duo was offering to let the child hold. "Put your gun away, baka."

"The safety’s on," Duo protested—right before a loud crack sounded.

Somewhere on the other side of the hanger, a can went hopping into the air. Grinning happily, Mariemeia put the safety back on and handed the firearm back to a stunned Duo with a pleased "Thank you."

"Mariemeia, what did your mother tell you?" Sally Po asked, staring the girl down.

She looked down before replying sullenly, "No handling guns…"

"Okay, now, today’s mission is real simple—babysitting," Sally started filling in the two new Preventers. "Sorry it’s nothing exciting for your first day on the job."

"Hn. Whatever," Heero replied, eyeing the size of the carrier in the hanger near them. "Who we babysitting?"

"A bunch of politics," the woman replied with an air of indifference. "Preventer Wing, Preventer—I’m sorry, I just refuse to say it."

Duo’s grin widened. "Auh, c’mon, Sally, say it!"

"No," she refused, shaking her head. "You can let the others call you Preventer Death or Devil or whatever the hell it is, but unless you can come up with a more serious name I’ll just refer to you as 02."

Duo stuck his tongue out at her while both his boyfriends tried to hide their smirks by looking away.

The politics Sally mentioned turned out to be Quatre and a couple other Senate members; the flight, uneventful in the extreme. Still, Wufei had to admit, it was rather nice having his lovers working with him. Now, if only Duo didn’t insist on allowing the child to pilot…

 

 

For the next two weeks Zechs came to her bed and held her while she slept. She didn’t ask him why and he didn’t offer a reason. They didn’t make love, or even have sex if you want to differentiate the two, and otherwise little to nothing changed in their everyday actions. Except… every once in a while, Noin would have sworn she caught him looking at her, and sometimes he offered her a little bit of a smile or squeezed her hand for no apparent reason. One day he actually hugged her. She wasn’t sure what to make of it, or even if she should make something of it at all. And she certainly wasn’t prepared for what happened six nights later.

 

 

"Tea, Miss Relena?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes, Dorothy, thank you."

"Really, Miss Relena, I don’t know why you put up with all those silly old foggies," the blonde girl snuffed, setting the tea tray down on a side table in the office of the young world leader.

"Because," Relena sighed, easing away from the tower of papers on her desk, "One day *we* will be the ‘old foggies’, as you so lovingly put it, Dory. It’s important to remember that no one adjusts easily to change, and what we’re doing is asking people to change. Thank you."

Dorothy placed the cup in her hand before propping herself upside the desk. "Nonsense. I always thought I adjusted rather well to change, and you yourself are remarkable at adapting to your surroundings, Miss Relena. Why, just look! From a lowly representative’s daughter, to princess of a role-modeling government, to Queen of Earth, and back to a lowly Representative—and all in under a year!"

"If you’re wanting to annoy me, Dorothy, you’re doing a rather good job at it, today."

"Not my intentions at all! I was merely trying to illustrate how not all people are so opposed to change," the blonde woman smiled, taking her tea tray back out of the office.

 

 

_//////////  
I still recall the taste of your tears  
Echoing your voice just like the ringing in my ears  
My favorite dreams of you still wash ashore  
Scraping through my head 'till I don't want to sleep anymore  
//////////_

He lay awake, overly conscious of the darkened room, the not-so-deserted street outside… the young woman in his arms…

He pulled her closer to him. It was good to wake up in the middle of the night and not be alone…

_//////////  
Don’t take it away from me; I need you to hold on to [3x]  
Don’t take it away from me; I need someone to hold on to  
Don’t tear it away from me; I need you to hold on to  
//////////_

Even if he was lonely, he wasn’t alone…

_//////////  
You always were the one to show me how  
Back then I couldn't do the things that I can do now  
//////////_

~ His hand lazily skimmed up over the smaller young man’s torso and chest. He stretched and purred—just like how

the other man liked him too. "Touch me, Milliardo." Eager hands rushed forward, fingertips dancing with anticipation. "Ant! Slowly, my dear boy. Slowly. There is no need to rush. Look, like this…" ~

_//////////  
Just when everything was making sense  
You took away all my self-confidence  
Now all that I’ve been hearing must be true  
I guess I’m not the only boy for you  
This thing is slowly take me apart  
//////////_

"What’s wrong?"

Startled, the cinnamon haired man looked over at him. "Nothing’s wrong, my Milliardo. Why? What makes you think something is wrong?"

"You’re quiet," the younger man accused, turning and propping himself up on his side to look down at the other man. "What are you thinking about?"

"That interesting little gundam pilot, 05," Treize answered. "So young to be fighting… so full of passion…"

Zechs frowned, swallowing the sudden lump in his throat. He closed his eyes and prayed for sleep to come soon.

_//////////  
But that's what I get  
How could you turn us into this?  
After you just taught me how to kiss- you  
I told you I'd never say goodbye  
Now I'm slipping on the tears you made me cry  
But that's what I get  
//////////_

The mask shattered around him, its cry echoing in his ears. ‘And so this is the end of Zechs Merquise….’

_//////////  
Why does it come as a surprise  
To think that I was so naive  
Maybe didn't mean so much  
But it meant everything to me  
//////////_

He laughed, the first carefree sound he’d made in what could easily have been a decade. "This is great!" he told the other man, smiling infectiously. Treize only smiled back at him.

_//////////  
But that's what I get  
You made me throw it all away,  
My morals left to decay  
How many you betray  
You’ve taken everything  
//////////_

He screamed, throwing himself and the large white titanium suit into the swarm. The lightening Count would not die so easily… even for *him*.

_//////////  
Terrible Lie  
//////////_

"I love you…"

A moment’s pause.

"Ai shiteru, zutto."

_//////////  
My head is filled with disease  
My skin is begging you please  
I'm on my hands and knees  
I want so much to believe  
//////////_

It was gone. It was really gone. And once again, by some cruel trick of fate… he was still alive.

Zechs emptied his stomach onto the ground before him.

_//////////  
I give you everything...  
My sweet everything...  
//////////_

He cried out as Treize thrust forward, pounding him into the large poster bed.

So good… it was always so good…

He screamed, releasing his soul, once again giving all, everything he had… for him. Always for him. Anything for him.

_//////////  
I need someone to hold on to  
I need someone to hold on to  
I need someone, I need someone  
I need someone to hold on to  
//////////_

He curled himself closer to that hot, sticky body. Treize laughed. "You’re such a cuddler, my Milliardo."

He only held on tighter.

Tighter.

Tighter—suddenly seized by a terrible fear.

Tighter… until there was nothing but air in his arms, and he was alone, in his bed. Alone.

And Treize…

Treize was dead.

_//////////  
You give me the anger  
You give me the nerve  
Carry out the sentence  
//////////_

"Zechs Merquise? Or should I say Milliardo Peacecraft? Allow me to introduce myself. I am called Quinze, and I work for an organization named White Fang…"

_//////////  
Well I get what I deserve  
I'm just an effigy to be defaced  
To be disgraced  
Your need for me has been replaced  
And if I can't have everything well then just give me a taste  
//////////_

"Fire the Beam Cannon!"

"But, sir--!"

"Fire, NOW!"

"No! Master Treize!"

"Seize Dorothy; she’s a traitor!" Just like him….

_//////////  
It comes down to this  
I gave you my Purity  
My Purity you stole  
//////////_

The water slapped against his bare skin as the other man’s body pressed into his. "Come for me, my Milliardo…"

"I… I think I love you, sir. I mean, I know I… do…"

"So sweet. So innocent. So full of passion…" Treize whispered, before taking him again… and again… and again…

_//////////  
I used to be so big and strong!  
I used to know my right from wrong!  
I used to never be afraid!  
I used to be somebody!  
//////////_

He couldn’t lie there anymore. Careful, he extracted himself from Noin’s bed and went to the kitchenette to pour himself a stiff drink. And then a second, and a third, and then he didn’t bother to count anymore.

_//////////  
I used to have something inside!  
Now just this hole that's open wide!  
I used to want it all!  
I used to be somebody…  
I'll cross my heart I'll hope to die  
But the needle's already in my eye  
And all the world's weight is on my back  
And I don't even know why  
What I used to think was me  
Is just a fading memory  
//////////_

He stared at the person in the mirror. He really didn’t like what he saw.

_//////////  
I looked him right in the eye and said "Goodbye"  
You make this all go away  
You make this all go away  
I’m down to just one thing  
And I’m starting to scare myself  
You make this all go away  
You make this all go away  
I just want something  
I just want something I can never have  
//////////_

"Treize…" He whispered brokenly, staring at the Preventers’s issue handgun in his hands.

_//////////  
So what does it matter now?  
I was swimming in the haze now I crawl on the ground  
And everything I never liked about you is kinda seeping into me  
Try to laugh about it now but isn't it funny how everything works out  
"I guess the joke's on me," she said  
//////////_

He looked up at the bathroom door. She stood there, sleep still clinging to her, blurry eyes staring back at him.

_//////////  
Kinda like a cloud I was up way up in the sky  
And I was feeling some feelings you wouldn't believe  
Sometimes I don't believe them myself  
And I decided I was never coming down  
//////////_

He tried to explain, he really did try.

_//////////  
It comes down to this  
Your kiss  
Your fist  
And your strain  
It gets under my skin  
Within  
Take in the extent of my sin  
//////////_

He was aware of the stinging after-tingle of her fist on his cheek, registering even as she desperately pressed her lips against his.

Didn’t she understand? He couldn’t do this life-thing anymore… it was just too hard for him. He wasn’t strong enough…

_//////////  
Come on and tell me  
You make this all go away  
You make this all go away  
I’m down to just one thing  
And I’m starting to scare myself  
You make this all go away  
You make this all go away  
I just want something  
I just want something I can never have  
//////////_

"Treize…"

"He’s *dead*, Zechs! Let him go!" she cried, shaking his shoulders. "He’s *dead*! He’s never coming back!"

_//////////  
[Hey God,] why are you doing this to me?  
Am I not living up to what I'm supposed to be?  
Why am I seething with this animosity?  
[Hey God,] I think you owe me a great big apology  
I'm all alone in the world you must despise  
[Hey God,] I believed your promises, your promises and lies!  
Seems like salvation comes only in our dreams  
I feel my hatred grow all the more extreme.  
[Hey God,] can this world really be as sad as it seems?  
//////////_

"So sad…" Numbly, in a daze, he wiped at her moist cheeks.

"Please… Zechs…."

_//////////  
Did you think I wouldn't recognize this compromise?  
Am I just too stupid to realize  
Stale incense old sweat and lies lies lies  
It comes down to this  
Your kiss  
Your fist  
And your strain  
It gets under my skin  
Within  
Take in the extent of my sin  
//////////_

"Don’t do this, don’t leave me. If you leave me what will I do, huh? What will I do?"

She was trembling again him, her small fist pounding against his chest and shoulder.

"Don’t leave me."

_//////////  
Wrap my eyes in bandages  
Confessions I see through  
I get everything I want  
When I get part of you  
//////////_

"Stay with me; please… just drop the gun…"

_//////////  
If I was twice the man I could be  
I'd still be half of what you need  
Still you lead me and I follow  
Anything you ask you know I'll do  
//////////_

There was a loud clatter as the pistol struck the tile floor. It was hard to tell who was holding onto who… or who more tightly.

_//////////  
Don’t take it away from me, I need you to hold on to [3x]  
Don’t take it away from me, I need someone to hold on to  
Don’t tear it away from me, I need you to hold on to  
Don’t tear it away from me, I need someone to hold on to  
Don’t tear it away from me, I need you to hold on to  
Don’t tear it, don't tear it, don't tear it, don't tear it, don't-  
//////////_

"Don’t leave me alone."

"Don’t leave me alone."

_//////////  
[Hey God,] there's nothing left for me to hide  
I lost my ignorance, security and pride  
//////////_

There was nothing left to him. Just an empty shell.

_//////////  
No more talk of darkness,  
Forget these wide-eyed fears;  
I'm here, nothing can harm you,  
My words will warm and calm you.  
//////////_

She held him for another long moment, soaking in the aftermath, relief that he was still there… and then she pulled away.

He didn’t want to let her go, but she tugged on him, and obediently, he stood up and allowed her to put him back to bed.

_//////////  
I'm drunk  
And right now I'm so in love with you  
And I don't want to think too much about what we should or shouldn't do  
~  
Let me be your freedom,  
Let daylight dry your tears;  
I'm here, with you, beside you,  
To guard you and to guide you.  
//////////_

She kissed him. Her soft lips moving over his. He let her, gave up all control to her. Let go of all his thoughts and just /was/.

_//////////  
I swear  
I just found everything I need  
The sweat in your eyes the blood in your veins are listening to me  
Well I want to drink it up and swim in it until I drown  
My moral standing is lying down  
Nothing quite like the feel of something new  
~  
Let me be your shelter,  
Let me be your light;  
You’re safe, no one will find you,  
Your fears are far behind you.  
//////////_

She whispered sweet, cooing reassurances. He paid little attention to the words, just let the sound of her voice wash over him, fill in the gaping hole inside of him.

_//////////  
You let me violate you  
You let me desecrate you  
You let me penetrate you  
You let me complicate you  
Help me  
I broke apart my insides  
Help me  
I’ve got no soul to sell  
Help me  
The only thing that works for me  
Help me get away from myself  
//////////_

She was over him, around him… completely cocooning him in her…

_//////////  
Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime;  
Let me lead you from your solitude.  
Say you need me with you, here beside you,  
Anywhere you go, let me go too,  
That’s all I ask of you  
//////////_

"I love you!" she cried against his chest, his shoulder, his throat. Over and over and over again…

_//////////  
You can have my isolation  
You can have the hate that it brings  
You can have my absence of faith  
You can have my everything  
Help me  
//////////_

Something inside of him snapped and he finally took what she offered, rolling her over onto her back, beneath him, and giving everything to her.

_//////////  
Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime;  
Say the word and I will follow you.  
~  
Help me  
Tear down my reason  
Help me  
It’s your sex I can smell  
Help me  
Help me become somebody else  
My whole existence is flawed  
//////////_

"NOIN!"

_//////////  
Share each day with me,  
Each night, each morning.  
Say you love me!  
You know I do.  
Love me, that's all I ask of you.  
//////////_

She allowed him to lay on her, for the moment enjoying the weight of his body on hers. Tenderly, she brushed her fingers through the long, silky pale-golden hairs, away from his tear-stained face, and she smiled…

_//////////  
You are the reason  
I stay alive  
/////////_

 

End Part 9

Andrea Readwolf

### Part Ten: Surprises

 

July 5th, 197 AC

"Mmmmm...." Was the first sound they were able to determine over the buzzing of the hand-held mixer as Quatre and Trowa walked into the kitchen to grab a snack. Quatre stopped dead in his tracks, right inside the door, allowing for Trowa--who was also distracted by the sight inside the kitchen--to plow into him from behind.

"Omphf!" Quatre, well, omphfed, stumbling forward a bit. "Duo! What are you doing?" he asked bemusedly, taking in the disarray of his previously pristine kitchen. Egg shells, mixing spoons, measuring cups, butter wrappers, and oil bottle were scattered over the center island. Everything was splattered with chocolate batter.

"Oiya! Quatre!" the grinning self-proclaimed Shinigami looked up over at the two newcomers, raising a hand in salute. The hand that just happened to be holding the mixer. More chocolate batter went splattering across the kitchen--and Duo.

Quatre couldn't help it--he giggled, hiding behind his raised arms. "You're getting it all over!" he cried, still laughing.

Duo continued to grin, quickly replacing the mixer back into the batter. "I'm making a cake for Wufei," he explained.

Trowa shook his head, pushing past Quatre to head for the fridge. "It looks more like you're making a mess," he said, reaching in and pulling out some leftovers from last night.

Duo bumped him, ass to ass. "Yeah, that too," he smirked, licking his fingers free from chocolate cake mix.

"Are you *making* the cake, or eating it?" Quatre asked, swiping a dollop of batter from Duo's cheek and sucking his finger. "Mmm. Good."

"Of course!" Duo beamed, and then winked.

"It looks more like he's wearing it," Trowa commented dryly, handing Quatre a platter of assorted food. "If you two keep that up, there won't be any left for Wufei or Heero," he added, dipping a finger into the bowl and stealing a taste for himself.

Duo chased him away with a spoon, and laughing, Trowa and Quatre left the braided teenager to his cake making.

 

 

"You're looking awfully proud of yourself," Anne teased when she slipped unnoticed into her girlfriend's office and noticed the smirk on the other woman's face.

Sally laughed. "I do?" Blue eyes roamed knowingly over Anne's body, and her smile broadened. "You do, too. Got good news?"

Anne's smile brightened a hundred fold. "These are the papers," she said softly, her voice laced with over-whelming excitement. "I'm going to do it."

"That's great!" Sally congratulated her, knowing her girlfriend had been deliberating about the adoption of her young ward for almost a month now. "Have you told Marie yet? I bet she'll be as excited as you are!" She got up and went to Anne, enfolding her in her arms. The other woman practically buzzed with nervous energy.

"No, I haven't," she breathed. "I was... I was thinking of giving them to her tonight, after dinner."

Sally laughed, kissing her adorable lips. "Are you sure you'll be able to wait that long? Will you even be able to eat anything?"

"No, no, you're probably right... Before dinner than?"

She was so cute when she was unsure of herself, Sally thought, hugging her again. "Sure, and then we can celebrate. What say you to going out tonight? Something special, just the three of us?"

Anne's eyes are gorgeous when she looks at me like that...

"That would be great," the younger woman answered lovingly, looking up at Sally with the adoring eyes of a lover. "But, you had some good news, didn't you?" she asked, remembering Sally's look when she'd come in.

The woman laughed, tugging Anne into her lap as she sat back down. "Not necessarily *good* news," the Chinese woman replied. "Just fun news-Apparently, my wonderful ex-partner didn't bother to tell his boyfriends that *today* was his birthday..."

"Wufei's birthday?" Anne asked, surprised herself.

Sally nodded. "Of course, I wouldn't be a *friend* if I didn't let them know...right?"

"Oh," Anne replied. And then, "OH!" And laughter filled the tiny office room.

 

 

Chang Wufei was resting comfortably in a large cushiony armchair in the library-a large tomb containing facts of Pre-Colonial History, a subject he found engrossing in the extreme, open on his lap. This could be an excuse for his not noticing when the library door opened to admit his Japanese lover, friend, and partner. Or, maybe it was just his relaxed and at ease state in knowing there was no *need* to be on guard here. He was safe in this home.

In any case, the Chinese youth was quite surprised when the shadow that fell across his line of reading revealed itself to be Heero Yuy.

"Good afternoon, Heero," he greeted pleasantly enough, smiling up at the newcomer and nodding.

"Your presence is requested in the other room," Heero replied, nodding in return.

"Oh?" Wufei was mildly curious, but relaxed. If it had been something serious, an amused glint would not be in his lover's eyes and cautiously, Wufei set the book he'd been reading aside, not bothering to mark his place. Heero offered him a hand up, and Wufei's curiosity increased, as did his amusement. Something was definitely up.

The Japanese youth pulled him up with ease, and then continued pulling until Wufei was in his arms. Heero's lips moved over Wufei's with a slight pressure. Readily, lips parted for him and the kiss deepened, Heero's tongue entering Wufei's warm recesses and sweeping across teeth and tongue before pulling back. "Hello," he mused.

Wufei wrapped his arms around Heero and looked up at him, smiling with amusement and laughter. "And what is it that needs my attention, hmm?" He asked, pressing closer, squeezing the last bit of space from between their bodies.

"Duo." The one word answer was accompanied with a frown that chased Wufei's own smile away. With a sigh, he accompanied Heero from the library, wondering just what their braided lover had gone and done this time. It must be pretty harrowing if Heero was refusing to handle it without his presence. Whatever *IT* was...

*IT* turned out to be a semi-large, obscenely bright, colorfully wrapped box, complete with yellow ribbon sitting on the kitchen table. Before he could ask what was in the box, Duo jumped up from behind the table, throwing paper curls in the air and shouting, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

Next to him, Heero gave him a tiny squeeze of encouragement, support, as Duo bounced over to them, glomping onto Wufei and singing. Grinning, Duo smacked a kiss on Wufei. "Surprised ya, didn't we?"

"'We'?" One eyebrow rose with the question before someone clearing his throat caused him to look up and see the remaining two members of their team also in the room.

"Happy Birthday, Wufei!" Quatre smiled and placed another wrapped present on the table. Beside him, Trowa was smiling as well.

"I didn't tell-"

"I *know*," Duo mock-pouted. "And that was very mean of you, hiding your birthday from us! But see! We found out anyway! Now, c'mon! Open your presents!"

"There's cake, too," Quatre added, "But I guess that should probably wait until after dinner."

Hands shaking, Wufei reached out for the gift Quatre had placed on the table, almost dreading what it could be. Seeing this, the blond young man smiled. "It's okay. Nothing scandalous."

With a nod, Wufei careful unwrapped the gift and then smiled, holding up the book. "The philosophies of Augustus. Thank you."

Quatre beamed at him, practically bouncing with excitement. "I thought you might enjoy a break from history." He finally gave in and moved to give the Chinese youth a hug and chaste kiss on the lips before moving back beside his own love. "Here, open Trowa's gift next!" he suggested, taking the gift from his love and handing it to Wufei.

Wufei took it graciously, noting its heaviness. Careful unwrapping showed it to be an intricately carved wooden box stained dark reddish brown. Opening the box revealed an arrangement of fragrant various herbal teas. He smiled, looking up at the couple.

"It was Quatre's suggestion," Trowa admitted. Beside him, clinging on his arm and practically jumping with barely contained excitement, Quatre added, "And the book was Trowa's idea. I hope you like them both!"

"I'm sure I will. Thank you," Wufei responded, nodding towards Trowa.

"Okay, okay, okay! Mine next!" Duo shouted, excitement lacing each word. The braided youth dragged Wufei to the table and the last remaining gift.

"What about Heero?" he asked, shooting an amused smile back at the Japanese teen.

"Upstairs," he replied, grinning now as well. "In our room."

That *did* cause Wufei to pause from removing the lid to Duo's gift. Heero just smiled at him-that unnerving little smirk that promised something to come. Wufei shrugged it off, figuring they would be in for a long night, and removed the cover to the box. And looked in. And stood in shock.

Inside the deep box, blinking two yellow-green eyes opened sleepily and looking up at him before letting out a large yawn, spiky tongue curled, body stretching out, nails unsheathing to claw at the bottom of the box.

"Isn't he a cutie?" Duo cooed, reaching a hand in to scratch the black powder puff, hairball. "I wanted to get you something about dragons, but then, I figured, you probably knew everything there was on the subject and I couldn't very well *get* you one since they don't exist, so I tried to think of what else you reminded me of and came up with a black panther, but they're kinda restricted from being pets, so I came up with the next best thing!" Duo was beaming at him, clearly proud of himself.

Wufei just continued to stare down into the box, dumbfounded.

"Auh, he's so adorable!" Quatre was cooing, pushing up from his other side. "I always wanted a pet!"

From inside the box, looking up at him with mischievous eyes, the little black kitten mewed. Wufei finally looked away from... *it*, to look at his pleased-with-himself love. "You got me a *cat*!"

Duo grinned and kissed his lips. "Yep!"

 

 

*** Later That Same Night ***

"May we go to Napolitono's?" the redheaded child asked with large, excited eyes when she was told they were going out for dinner that night.

"Sure, Marie," Sally answered, tousling the girl's short curls affectionately. "But, hey, tell ya what. I'm gonna go upstairs and change. You and Anne are pretty enough to go as you are, but I have to go get dolled up a bit. Otherwise people will be wondering who's that person with the two prettiest ladies in the whole Earth Sphere." Mariemeia giggled at the woman's antics, but before she could disagree with Sally's statements, the woman was going on. "Meanwhile, I think there's something very important Anne wants to talk to you about, okay? I'll be down in about 10-15, okay?"

The girl was frowning now, but obediently she nodded and turned to the other woman in the room as Sally left them alone. "Sally says there's something you wish to talk to me about, Mother?" Marie asked, somewhat nervous as she frantically went over the happenings of the last five days in her head. She hadn't done anything wrong... she didn't think, anyway...

"Yes," Anne said, her voice cracking. "Yes," she tried again, more strongly this time. "Please, Mariemeia, come sit over here next to me."

Obediently, the girl went next to where Anne was sitting on the sofa and sat, looking up at her with large, uncertain eyes. 'Oh, Master Treize...! Is this really the right thing to do? Am I only setting myself and her up for more pain...?' Anne picked up the manila pony-envelope and handed it to the child. "Go ahead and open it," she told the girl. "Read what's inside."

Shaking fingers unwound the twine holding the flap closed and trembling hands reached inside to pull out the pack of papers. It was tearful eyes that looked to her as the meaning of the words on the page began to race into her mind. "Is this... is this for real?" the girl asked, hesitantly. "You... you really want to... to adopt me?"

Anne nodded, quickly licking her chapped lips. "If that's... all right with you, of course."

"'All right'?" Disbelieving eyes turned on her, before a radiant smile broke the carefully constructed mask of confident control and she launched her young body at the Preventer woman, small arms wrapping around Anne's throat in an almost-death grip. "It's *more* than 'all right'!" Marie cried. "It's smashing!!"

 

 

Two giggling teenagers, covered in chocolate cake and icing, were sneaking back down the hallway for the main staircase when they literally ran *into* another couple.

"What have you two been *up* *to*?" Quatre asked, swallowing his laughter as he took in both Duo's and Heero's disheveled, chocolate-covered states. "Or do I already know?"

Duo giggled and pointed at Heero. "It was all *his* idea. I swear!" the braided boy snickered, jabbing a finger in his cohort's direction.

"Hn." Heero, still grinning, reached over and tugged on the chocolate-covered braid. "Baka. I don't remember you complaining."

Duo beamed at him. "Funny, me neither."

"What did you two do?" Trowa asked, and then he frowned, noticing a missing member... "And where's Wufei?"

"Oooh, he should be climbing into bed in 3... 2... 1..."

"MAXWELL!!! YUY!!! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!"

Both 'threatened' boys broke into hysterics before Quatre and Trowa's very eyes.

"What did you *do*?" Quatre gasped, trying to swallow his own fit of giggles.

"Nothing."

"Nothing at all--just left him a little present."

Duo leaned over and smeared an already smeared chocolate smudge on Heero's face.

"In his bed."

"While he was showering."

Duo giggled and sucked his fingers. "Chocolate covered gundam pilot!"

"We should probably go help him clean off, you know," Heero suggested, smirking broadly.

Duo grinned--that wicked little "Ooh! Good *idea*!" grin of his... and then the two took off the same way they came, leaving a bemused Trowa and Quatre behind.

Trowa shook his head, smiling, and turned back to his own love--smile quickly fading. "Oh, no. don't even *think* it."

Quatre smirked and inched closer. "Ne, Trowa...? Have I ever told you how much I like Strawberry Shortcake...?"

The taller young man sighed, resigned to his fate.

 

 

He stared, horrified at the mess that was his normally very neat and very *clean* bed.

"MAXWELL!!! YUY!!! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!"

Well, not really. Maybe just shove their faces into the mess and make them lick it clean. Oh! Now *there's* an idea-

~No, no no! Bad thought, Chang. Bad thought. Your bed has just been ruined. You are very angry. Angry, I said!~

'I guess I'll just have to sleep in their bed tonight...' A small smile tugged at his lips with *that* thought.

~I said *ANGRY*!~

_~*~  
When moonlight crawls along the street  
Chasing away the summer heat  
Footsteps outside somewhere below  
The world revolves I let it go  
~*~_

"Oiya! 'Fei! You bellowed?" Duo asked sweetly, batting his eyelashes with mock innocence as he hung his head around the doorframe, his long braid hanging over his shoulder and brushing the floor, suspiciously stained a dark color. And then the smile slipped into a pout. "Hey! You're supposed to be *in* the bed!"

"I *look* before I *sleep*, baka."

Duo was bumped forward into the room by a scowling Heero Yuy. "We can't clean you off if you're not dirty," the dark haired Japanese boy groused, stalking into the room and picking the Chinese boy up.

"Heero! What--! What are you--! AH!"

Heero dropped Wufei-silky black boxers and all-onto the bed, dead center of the large remains of a chocolate frosted chocolate cake. "Getting you dirty," the boy answered, smiling now, blue eyes glowing with an intensity that quickened Wufei's pulse.

_~*~  
We build our church above the street  
We practice love between these sheets  
The candy sweetness scent of you  
It bathes my skin I'm stained in you  
~*~_

"Oh, yeah," Duo cooed, crawling up onto the other side of the bed and scooping up a large handful of cake. Wufei watched with wide eyes as the hand approached his bare chest.... And then stopped, just inches away. Confused, surprised, dark eyes flitted up to meet with sparkling amethyst.

"You okay with this?" Duo asked softly, hand wavering with the effort of restraint.

"A little late to be asking, don't you think?" Wufei returned, annoyed that his voice sounded slightly breathless, and knowing it was from anticipation.

Duo smirked. "No," he answered before smearing Wufei's chest with the desert.

_~*~  
And all I have to do is hold you  
There's a racing within my heart  
And I am barely touching you  
~*~_

He rubbed the cake in good, using more to spread it from chest to torso to neck and shoulders, making little erotic noises as he went. Wufei bit back a moan as Duo's hands worked over him, covering him in the sticky-sweet chocolate mess; dark eyes closed as his whole body sang under Duo's fingers.

_~*~  
Turn the lights down low  
Take it off  
Let me show you  
My love for you  
Insatiable  
Turn me on  
Never stop  
Wanna taste every drop  
My love for you  
Insatiable  
~*~_

Another hand squeezed his thigh and Wufei caught Heero staring at him, watching him with an insatiable glow. He was going to be sore tomorrow, he predicted before the ability to entertain thoughts was chased away by a devilish tongue. He moaned as Duo began licking and sucking the chocolate off his chest. Hands reached up to bury in the thick roots of his braided lover's scalp.

Heero's tongue thrust between Wufei's lips, and he could taste some of the chocolate cake, mating with Heero's natural flavor. 'So good... so good... Want more...'

He cried out as a sticky, chocolate-covered hand reached into his silky boxers and wrapped around his excited and ready manhood, coating him in the dark sweetness.

"Please..." Wufei begged, reaching up to massage Heero's scalp and pull him back down to his lips.

The devilish Japanese boy smiled down at him. Inches away from his lips, he asked, "Please what?"

The answer was stolen away on a cry as Duo's mouth slipped over Wufei's chocolate-covered penis and began cleaning him off.

Wufei screamed, body arching off the bed as he spilled his essence into Duo's oh-so-talented mouth. Heero's lips stole his shout away, sucking it into himself.

"It hurts," he whimpered, panting for breath. Above and beside him, his lovers stilled. "Are you okay, Fei?" Heero asked gently, looking down at him with concerned and loving eyes as Duo carefully sat back away from between his spread thighs.

"I love you so much it hurts," he told them.

Duo dove at him, their bodies squishing together, glued there with icing. "I love you so much I can't breathe without you," he answered.

They worked together, removing every last stitch of clothing and tossing it to the floor in a careless fashion.

_~*~  
The moonlight plays upon your skin  
A kiss that lingers, takes me in  
I fall asleep inside of you  
There are no words  
There's only truth  
~*~_

His hands reached out to grasp his longhaired lover's shoulders as Heero's hips snapped forward and Duo's length filled their Chinese lover. There was no word, no sound ever uttered, that could describe their mating. Only the panting, quick hitched breaths as their bodies moved in and out, together and against each other in primordial need.

"Mine," Heero whispered after he collapsed onto Duo and Wufei. He reached out, pushing Wufei's dark, sweaty hair away from his flushed and glowing face. Gently his kissed Duo's exposed neck, staring into those dazed dark eyes. "Both of you." He reached out, his hand possessively stroking Wufei's hip and he rocked into Duo, still buried inside the braided young man's body. "Mine."

_~*~  
Breathe in Breathe out  
There is no sound  
We move together   
up and down  
We levitate   
our bodies soar  
Our feet don't even   
touch the floor  
And nobody knows you like I do  
Cuz the world they don't understand  
That I grow stronger in your hands  
~*~_

Duo sighed, closing his arms around Wufei and allowed himself to relax, cradled between the two most important people in his life. His pelvis rocked up and down between their bodies, inspiring pleasurable sparks to race off every nerve ending. He was the luckiest man in the whole fucking universe, he thought as he nuzzled Wufei's throat and wiggled some more.

_~*~  
We never sleep we're always holdin' hands  
Kissin' for hours talkin' makin' plans  
I feel like a better man  
Just being in the same room  
We never sleep there's just so much to do  
So much to say  
Can't close my eyes when I'm with you  
Insatiable the way I'm loving you  
~*~_

Duo's fingers played over Wufei's hands, as if they were fascinated by the feel of calluses and fingerprint ridges. Heero continued to suck on Duo's throat, his shoulders, his back, as Wufei supported both their weights on his body.

"We should go see a movie or something," Duo was saying. Wufei and Heero just let him ramble on, planning out their calendar for the next week, month, year, the rest of their lives. Content, Heero covered Duo's back with kisses and Wufei just watched, afraid to close his eyes and wake up to discover this had all be some horribly wonderful dream...

_~*~  
Turn me on  
Never stop  
Wanna taste every drop  
My love for you  
Insatiable  
Insatiable the way I'm loving you  
Turn the lights down low  
Take it off  
Let me show you  
My love for you  
Insatiable  
~*~_

 

 

_~*~  
Turn the lights down low  
Take it off  
Let me show you  
My love for you  
Insatiable  
~*~_

Quatre watched, grinning broadly as Trowa turned down the light settings, looking at the blond from the corner of his eyes. And then he turned back to him, his hands gracefully reaching for the buttons on his shirt. It was floating off his shoulders when Quatre gave up all pretenses of calm patience and reached for him, pulling Trowa against him and falling on top of him onto the master's bed.

_~*~  
Turn me on  
Never stop  
Wanna taste every drop  
My love for you  
Insatiable  
~*~_

"I love you," Quatre insisted repeatedly as he rained kisses all over his body, anywhere there was skin, Quatre's lips touched worshipingly, his fingers reaching for Trowa's pants to expose even more lovely skin.

"Love you!" Trowa whispered, his voice heavy with need and he helped Quatre shed his last remaining article of clothing, grounding his weeping arousal against the blond as he tried to undress Quatre as well.

Quatre cried as he rocked between Trowa's spread thighs. "Want you so bad," he told him.

"Please."

_~*~  
Turn me on  
Never stop  
Wanna taste every drop  
My love for you  
Insatiable  
~*~_

He reached for a sugarcoated strawberry from the bowl he'd brought back with them and pressed it between Trowa's lips, waiting a second before tasting the combination of sugar, strawberry, and Trowa. He groaned against Trowa's soft lips. "You taste so good. I don't think I'll ever get enough of you."

"Quatre--!"

_~*~  
And nobody knows you like I do  
Cuz the world they don't understand  
That I grow stronger in your hands  
~*~_

He buried himself thickly in his lover's body, taking up some more strawberries and crushing them over Trowa's body, eagerly lapping up the sweet-tart juices that stained his lover's skin.

Trowa cried out, shooting his pearly cum between their bodies. Intrigued, Quatre took up another berry and coated it with semen... before lifting it to his lips. Slowly, watching Trowa watch him, he sucked the berry into his mouth, sucking on it in time to his thrusting hips, before biting and chewing.

"Mmm... so good." Quatre moaned appreciatively.

Trowa laughed, breathless still, meeting each deep thrust wantonly as it rocked his slender frame. "You're insatiable."

_~*~  
And nobody knows you like I do  
Cuz the world they don't understand  
That I grow stronger in your hands  
~*~_

Quatre made a sound, filling Trowa with his seed, and panting, he fell into his lover, brushing lips against lips tenderly. "Insatiable for you."

"Mmm... won't hear me complain."

_~*~  
The moonlight plays upon your skin  
A kiss that lingers, takes me in  
I fall asleep inside of you  
There are no words  
There's only truth  
My love for you  
Insatiable  
~*~_

 

 

The head of the Preventers was in a surprisingly good mood others noted as the graceful woman passed through security check and up to her office.

"Oh! Lady Une! Lady Une! There is a group of young women in your office, ma'am!"

That good mood vanished in an instant. "No one," the woman answered frozenly, "is allowed in my office without the proper clearance."

"But-ma'am! They *had* the clearance code!" her secretary replied, looking at her with worried eyes.

Steeling herself, she still took a moment to touch the young man's hand reassuringly. She didn't have any scheduled meetings this morning-he knew that and so did she. "Then you should have asked them to return at a later time when I was available," she reprimanded him, more gently than she ever would have if this had been OZ...

'But this isn't Oz...'

She ran through possibilities even as she entered her office, wondering who the visitors could be. There were only a handful of people who had the proper clearance codes to enter her personal office. None were the five young women waiting in her office.

Five women, around her age-either in their late teens or early twenties. Three had dark brown-almost black hair; the other two were blondes. One was staring out the wall of glass, looking at the city below. One was sitting patiently, arms crossed over her chest. One was calmly examining her manicured nails. Two were studying the large mural that she had commissioned shortly after the war, depicting the two lost colonies and the faces of all the casualties the war had wrought-it had just recently been finished.

"Interesting picture," one of the girls said when the door closed behind her.

"How did you get the clearance for this office?" she returned.

"Never mind that," the young woman replied, turning to face the head Preventer. "We're here to offer you our services," Jacqueline Behr said confidently. To either side of her, Ochenta, Devenley, Katalynna, and Blaire stood, grinning with confidence.

 

 

"Heero."

He looked up from the article he was reading, noting Trowa was hovering in the doorway.

"May I speak with you?"

He frowned at the other teen's formalness but nodded assent and sat up more uprightly on the sofa, giving Trowa his full attention. Trowa closed the door behind him, but he chose to remain standing instead of sitting near Heero. There was a small, almost unnoticeable frown on the boy's lips, and he didn't quite look at Heero as he spoke.

"I've been thinking a lot about things," he began softly, his frown quickening for the briefest of moments. "About how things were during the war... and then after. That was the worst time in my life," he told Heero, and the profound honesty of that statement did something funny to Heero-he felt almost as if he'd been knocked down without knowing why.

"It hurts," Heero offered, "To believe the one you love is beyond your reach; that you can never have him."

"Yes," Trowa nodded. "Yes, it does." And for the sparsest of seconds, green eyes meet blue, and then Trowa looked away again. "But I'm sure it hurts worse to have the one you love... and then lose him."

Heero didn't bother to argue that.

"I... I don't ever want to lose him, Heero," he said softly, staring at the piano in front of the windows. "I will do everything in my ken to make sure I never lose him."

The Japanese youth nodded. He could understand that perfectly. He felt the same way about his lovers-He would rather die than have to live through losing one of them. He didn't think he *could* live if he lost one of them... It was a decidedly scary thought, and that perfect soldier part of him pushed the thought away quickly.

"He looks at you."

Heero blinked. "Excuse me?"

And suddenly, Trowa was looking at him, those hard green eyes fastened to him. "I've seen him. He looks at you. He thinks you're beautiful." Trowa swallowed, tightly, his jaw hurting, but the hurt distracted him from the pain in his chest. "He's right of course. You are beautiful. So he looks at you, and... and he wants you."

Heero did a double take this time. It seemed as if suddenly his brain had decided not to process correctly. He could have sworn Trowa just said Quatre-sweet, caring, head-over-heels-in-love-with-Trowa Quatre wanted *him*. "I don't think I'm following you, Trowa," Heero replied calmly.

"Quatre wants you; he desires you..." and then, as an afterthought he added, "He desires Wufei and Duo, too."

 

End Part 10


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: "Fic Challenge: Write a fic where the guys visit Trowa as the circus and end up having to work for them due to flu epidemic or some such thing." Nimnu Ryoukai.
> 
> Additional Notes. This story takes place in the same storyline as "Have You Ever...", set approximately in 197 AC. This is not "Have You Ever..."'s sequel, "What Went Wrong".
> 
>  Standard Disclaimer Applies.

 

### Part Eleven: Big Night at the Big Top

  
He sighed and stretched, reclining against the sofa in exhausted relief. It was good to be home again... It was good to have a place to call home. The only other place he had ever thought of as 'home', was the circus. With Catherine. But now he had another home, here with Quatre and the others. They were his family and he was theirs. It was a strange but welcome feeling.

He wondered about Catherine, the young woman who was like a sister to him. He wondered how she had been since their last talk--what? Three? Four weeks ago? He should really go and send a message to her, let her know he hasn't forgotten about her... but he really *was* too tired to move. He had spent the last two weeks chasing down after some rag-abound group of would-be revolutionists, and now he wanted nothing more than to lay here for a couple of days and enjoy some peace and quie---

"Duo, no," Quatre said walking into the study, a certain braided-baka following in behind him. "Whatever it is, no."

"Oh, c'mon, Q-man!" the other boy was saying. "You haven't even heard my great idea yet!"

Neither one had noticed him yet.

"And I don't want to, Duo," Quatre said, sliding around the large desk and sitting down. He reached for the keyboard to the PC and was typing away before Duo could counter. "Whatever it is, no. Trowa's supposed to be coming home tonight and I want to be here when he gets back."

"Well there, you see!" Duo cooed, jumping up and sitting on the desk. "This would be great for you two! You see the--"

"Oh, my gosh! The circus is in town!" Quatre exclaimed all of a sudden, staring at his computer.

"Exactly!"

"No, no," Quatre was saying. "I specifically bought tickets two weeks ago... and I forgot all about it. Curses! I was planning on surprising Trowa, but if he's not back..." The blond boy began to worry his lower lip. Trowa could *hear* it. "And he'll probably be too tired to go now, anyway."

Quatre sighed heavily and leaned back into his plush chair. "Oh well. Another would-be date, down the drain..."

"You *knew* the circus was coming and didn't tell the rest of us?" Duo cried. "What if *we* had wanted to go, too?"

"Huh? Oh, I bought you guys tickets too," Quatre said, turning his chair from side to side. "Darn. What rotten luck. And I had wanted... " He sighed.

He debated keeping his silence. He really did...he *was* really tired... but... then... it *had* been a good two weeks since he'd seen the blond boy...

"If you paid for your tickets, you paid too much," he said, not bothering to sit up. "You know all you had to do was call Catherine and she would have sent you the tickets."

"TROWA!!!!!!!!!"

The blond boy's blue eyes lit up like dawn and he hurled his small body towards the reclining boy. "Oh, Trowa! You're home! When'd you get back? Why didn't you let me know? I would've sent a car! Oh, Trowa! I mis---"

His words were cut off effectively by a deep, searing kiss that had the most wondrous effect of turning the blond into a pile of mush--lying half-on/half-off the sofa.

"Mmmm," he purred, licking his lips, tasting Trowa's own flavor there. "I missed you," he said lowly.

The uni-banged boy smiled, his green eyes sparkling with a special light as he looked upon the blond boy. "Oh yeah?" he asked softly.

"Yeah," the blond said with an accompanying bob of his head.

"How much?" Trowa asked, his fingers reaching up to trace the blue-eyed boy's face, his thumb brushing against the already swelling pink lips.

"Very..." Quatre whispered, parting his lips and sucking the thumb into his mouth.

"Mmm... me too," Trowa breathed, eyes fluttering shut as Quatre's hand began its own search--and found the large bulge in Trowa's jeans.

"Um... hey, guys?" a voice called out, breaking into their little universe. "Hello? Remember me? Duo? I'm still heee-reee!"

Quatre waved a free hand at him and mumbled something that sounded like 'Go away,' but he couldn't be sure.

"Hey, Q-man! What about the circus tonight?" Duo asked, bouncing over to the sofa and leaning over the back. 'Not bad,' he thought looking down at the sight before him. 'Trowa sure packs it!' He eyed the already unzipped jeans and the small hand that was slipped inside them, before trailing upwards towards the flushed faces. "Hey, need a hand?"

"No... thank you..." Quatre mumbled as Trowa gasped. "Circus... later... tonight... Mmmm...."

Duo grinned and bounced away. "GREAT! Now, if you'll excuse me..." A light sparked in his eyes as the grin on his lips increased. "I think I hear keys tapping!" He winked--not that the other two noticed--and dashed out the door and up the stairs, calling "Hey, Heeroooo....?" as he went.

 

 

That's how, four hours later, five boys—who were responsible for a tremendous amount of death and destruction., five boys who were considered by many the five most deadliest people alive, five boys who, well, except for one, had yet to hit their growth spurts—found themselves standing outside a big old circus tent.

"Was it really necessary to come two hours early?" an onyx-haired boy asked, eyeing their deserted surroundings. "It doesn't look like anyone's here."

"That's strange," Quatre mumbled, looking around also. "Trowa, isn't there always someone around?"

"Yes," the tall boy said, his normally impassive face now frowning. "Especially so close to a performance."

"It's too quiet," Heero added, his cobalt blue eyes searching their surroundings, looking for the slightest hint of movement.

"No offense, man, but this isn't exactly my idea of a circus," Duo pouted, scratching his head. "I mean, where *is* everybody? Where are the clowns? Send in the clowns! Where's the music and the balloons and the cotton candy and popcorn and roasted nuts???"

"And the truth behind his panic reveals itself," Wufei said lowly, sharing a look with the Japanese boy.

"Who's there?" a sharp voice barked—a hint of panic in its authoritative tone.

Five bodies turned in unison—the fact that these boys were a team evident with the smoothness of their unconscious movement. One's hand rested on a hidden gun; one rested in a ready defensive stance; one turned with hands on hips, manic smile on face; one turned with a concerned expression for the panic he sensed; and one stared ahead with a look of impassiveness.

Trowa's mask was first to fall as concern took over and he stepped away from his friends. "Catherine, what is wrong?" he asked, reaching out to the woman. He didn't get the chance as she hurled herself into his chest. The others immediately backed-down defensive.

"Oh Trowa! It's horrible! Everyone's sick and we have a show in another two hours and it's sold out! We can't *NOT* put on a show but half the people can't even sit up in their beds! You have got to help!"

Trowa stared down at the dark auburn head buried in his emerald green turtle neck. "Whoa, whoa, whoa," he said, pulling back slightly. "What do you mean everyone's sick? From what?"

"I don't know!" Catherine wailed, obviously upset. " It started after lunch. Nikki and Veronica said they weren't feeling too good, and then next thing everyone was in their beds moaning and groaning!"

"After lunch you say?" Heero said, stepping up behind Trowa.

It was then that Catherine noticed the other four boys. Stepping away from Trowa and scrubbing a hand across her face, she pulled herself together. "Oh, hello. I'm sorry. I'm not usually such a mess. I'm Catherine. Quatre, it's good to see you again," she said, nodding to the blond boy. "And you," she said turning to Heero. "Nice to see you in one piece. So that's what you look like without all those bandages, huh? I can see why Trowa picked you up and brought you home!"

A small blush crept into the two boys' cheeks. Looks passed between three others. Trowa cleared his throat and turned to introduce the two remaining boys.

"Cathy, this is Wufei and you might remember Duo," he said softly. Wufei nodded his head, holding his tongue, though his eyes were watching both Heero and Trowa carefully. Duo grinned and rocked back on his heels.

"Well I definitely remember you," he said with a laugh. "You're the one who threatened to beat the crap outta me if I didn't leave Trowa alone!"

"Hmphf! And I still will, too, if I hear you've hurt him in any way, you got that?" She asked, raising a fist towards him.

"Catherine," Quatre said quickly, stepping between the two. "Where is everyone now?"

"In their trailers. Oh, Trowa! It's terrible!"

"May we... see them?" Wufei asked after a shared glance with Heero and Trowa.

"Um... I guess so... Come on around back," she said, heading off in that direction. It was eerie. Knowing that there should be hustle and bustle...and finding only silence. Catherine led them straight up to one trailer and with barely a knock, straight inside. "Quentin, you awake?"

"As much as I'd wish otherwise," a male voice rasped out. "What time is it? Is it time to get ready?"

They stepped in and saw an old wizened man with salt-and-pepper hair making to push up from his bed. His coloring was palish-green. The stench that arose from the trailer was enough to turn even Heero's hardened stomach.

"You're in no condition to go put on a show, Quentin, and you well know," Catherine scolded, her hard-bitten words belaying the concern written clearly on her face.

"Now, don't be given me that, Cherie," the man said, trying again to sit up. "You know as well as I that the show must go on!"

"Relax, Quentin," Trowa said softly. "Cathy's right. You are in no condition to do a show."

"What's that? The ever-quiet Trowa saying something?" Quentin said, looking past Catherine to the tall boy. "It's good to see you again, Trowa. I wish I was in better condition to greet you..."

"Don't worry about it," Trowa said with an almost shy smile . "Rest," he encouraged as the others filed out of the small trailer.

Catherine sighed wearily, a hand pressed against her temple. "And the others aren't much better," she said wearily. "What are we going to do? We're—" She looked at a small time piece on her wrist and her eyes widened. "We're an hour and a half from show-time, with a sold-out show, and hardly ANYONE to perform!

"What about the children?" Trowa asked, a hand resting comfortingly against the small of her back. Had Catherine been in her right mind she would have noticed the small changes in Trowa—his... openness. But Catherine wasn't in her right mind—and some would argue she never was—and the small act of comfort went unregistered by her mind, though her body responded to it, relaxing just a bit of the tension that had been growing since a little past noon that afternoon.

"Some of the children can help... but none of them can do any of the big acts," she told him, her hand sliding over her forehead and then pushing back. "Janice and Kyle can handle the elephants. And Carolyn has been working with the dogs...."

She sighed and turned away, pacing, walking five feet before turning back and pacing back to their little group, talking to herself all the way. Dylan's been working with the high wire, but he's no where near the skill of his parents. Felice is too young to do anything, really. Though Maurice has been dying to work with the cats---but his father would *kill* me..."

"I can handle the cats... and the high wire, too, for that matter," Trowa said calmly.

Catherine stopped her pacing long enough to stare into his face. A light of... hope? Disbelief? Love? Shone from her dark green eyes. "Oh, Trowa---" she began. "But, you're not part of the circus anymore..."

He smiled at her. "Once a part... always a part... didn't you say that once?" He touched his forehead to hers, looking into her eyes.

"Oh, Trowa..." she practically pounced on him, wrapping her lithe arms around his broadening shoulders and hugging him tight. "Mmm, but I've missed you," she said hoarsely. "Thank you, Trowa..."

He pulled back, the smile still playing at his lips. "No thanks are needed, Cathy," he told her softly. "Now what else needs to be taken care of?"

"Um... Pauline and Val are sick too, along with Alex and Dom."

"That means there's no Trapeze," Trowa stated, almost to himself.

"I can handle a trapeze," a voice said behind the two. They turned to see the four other boys still standing there calmly. Trowa *looked*.

Heero shrugged. "It was a part of my training," he said in explanation.

"Why am I not surprised?" Trowa asked softly, not really expecting an answer. One day, he planned on asking Heero what exactly he *had* learned as 'part of his training'...

"I, too, can help," Wufei stated, arms folded across his chest, eyes half-hooded.

"Hey! Me too! Me too!" Duo called, manic grin in place. "Working at a circus! Cool! Every kid's dream!" He winked.

"Um," the blond boy spoke up, licking his lips nervously. "I don't know what good I'd be," he stumbled, "But, I'd like to help too... if you'd let me." Turquoise depths met and held to emerald gems.

"Thank you," Trowa said softly.

"No thanks are needed, Trowa," Quatre answered, equally as soft. With a smile, the blond boy closed the space between them and wrapped his arms around the taller boy--who responded quickly by hugging the blond closer. Leaning over, Trowa brushed their lips together in a chaste kiss.

"Thank you anyway," he whispered.

"Hey! We volunteered, too! Do *we* get a 'Thank You'?" Duo piped up--and was rewarded with a simultaneous slap on the backside and tug on his braid as two voices chimed in unison: "Baka."

 

  
That's how, nearly an hour later, five boys found themselves inside a small tent outside the main tent--dressed...well, dressed.

Chang Wufei leaned against a tall chest, scowling. Heero Yuy was bending into a mirror, touching up his make-up. Trowa and Quatre stood at another mirror while Trowa piled huge amounts of greasy stuff over Quatre's face. Duo Maxwell was pulling at the flashy tight spandex.

"You know, I must really love you to let you be doing this," Quatre said softly. His reply was a huge powder puff to the face--which left him coughing.

"Oiya, oiya. This is just wrong," Duo complained, pulling again at the neon pink and silver tights with gold lining. "I mean, if it wasn't bad enough that these colors are so *off* for me... now I'm beginning to dress like Heero! Man! These things are so *tight*! How the hell you manage to hide stuff in pants this tight!" He stretched his legs spread-eagle and tried to... readjust himself.

"Are you wearing a strap?" Trowa asked casually.

"Strap?" Duo looked up at him--the position his body was contorted in was effective in bringing a smile to even stoic Trowa's lips.

He quickly turned back to his administrations to Quatre's face. "Yes a strap."

"What strap? Where strap? You mean there's more to this get-up?" He was rewarded with a white piece of cloth tossed in his face.

"It goes on under the tights, Duo," Heero told him after watching the boy turn the strap every which way.

"Remember to keep your hands powdered on the bars," Trowa told them. "The net will be up, so it will catch you if you fall--"

"We won't fall," Heero said calmly.

"Hey! I don't know 'bout you, but I ain't never done nothing like this before," Duo said, pulling up the tight jumpsuit and turning to Wufei so it could me refasten.

"We won't let you fall," Wufei told him, pressing against his back when the last snap was closed, his hands reaching for Duo's hips and pulling them back against his own. The tight bodysuits left little to the imagination and Duo nearly melted against the Chinese boy.

"I fell a long time ago," Duo said hoarsely, pressing back against Wufei. He turned in Wufei's arms, his own coming up to loop around the other boy's neck as he reached up and pressed his lips against his in an... innocent kiss.

"There'll be time for that after the show," Trowa said, stepping away from Quatre to admire his handy work. He gave a quick nod before turning to face the others, inspecting.

Duo groaned, "Sure there's not enough time?" before pulling away from Wufei.

"Positive."

The stood in an uneven circle, facing one another in silence. Heero's royal blue and purple jumpsuit flashed with emerald sequins, encasing his body from neck to wrist to ankle in a 'raindrop' pattern. Wufei's gold and emerald green jumpsuit held the pattern of raging fire, the silver sequins outlining each flickering flame, stretching from low-neck to bare shoulders, to his knees. Duo's own flashy neon pink and silver suit held lightening zigzags that ranged from his neck to shoulders to ankles. Quatre's small body was encased in a frenzy of cotton candied colored polka dots and stripes. His angelic face smeared with white, red, and black paint was framed with rayon blue curly, frizzy hair.

"This is silly, you know," Quatre mumbled. "Duo should be the one playing the clown."

Trowa smiled, leaning over and kissing his love's shoulder lightly. "The clown is the easiest to play, love. All you have to do is stand there and trust Catherine."

"Hnm. No one else is worried that I'm going to be standing there while a deranged woman throws knives at my body?"

Trowa smiled again and dropped another kiss on top Quatre's wig-encased head. "They're daggers, dear, not knives." He looked at the others, arm still draped over Quatre's shoulders. "Everyone understand what to do?"

There were nods and sounds the affirmative, but Trowa went over the itinerary anyway. "There will be three rings. The animal parade will be first. Dogs, right ring; bears, left ring. Heero will have the horses in the center ring."

Heero nodded. Trowa continued. "Second Act, left and right ring, clowns, center ring elephants. The children will be there with you," he said directly to Quatre. "Just follow their lead and have fun. Catherine will be in the center ring with the elephants, but don't get distracted."

"Got it," Quatre replied nervously.

"Third Act, acrobats, all rings. The children will be helping out, too," he told the three boys facing him. "So we should cover all three rings without a problem. Fourth Act, Cat's Lair, center ring. That should give you plenty of time to change into your next costume. Catherine and Quatre will go on right after me, giving me a chance to change and join you for the Fifth Act, High wire and trapeze."

They were all looking at him, nodding. "Any questions?"

"What am I supposed to do the third act?" Quatre asked earnestly, looking up into his love's face.

"You'll join the children in the stands, passing out balloons and goodies," Trowa told him softly.

"I have a question," Duo piped up, manic grin in place as he leaned up to Wufei, Heero's hand wrapped in the end of his long braid. "How much do we get paid?"

They stared at him stunned; Even Wufei and Heero. It was a voice from behind that answered.

"A quarter of the proceeds of tonight's show," Catherine said coming up behind him. She was dressed in a flashy navy blue tutu, her hair pulled back with feathery barrettes.

Duo tilted his head and studied her. "Is that normal?"

"No, but you're not normal players, either," she answered in a gruff manner. "You're playing at least two parts each and this isn't even your responsibility. Why?"

"Oh, I was just curious in case I decide I want to join the circus one day!" he said, sending her a wink and manic smile. "Oh, and don't worry about the money," he called as he passed out the opening heading towards the main tent. "We're paying *you* tonight!"

Five people stared after him. Wufei and Heero were the first to recover, look passing between the two as their lips twitched in would-be-smiles.

"C'mon," Catherine said, snapping out of it. "It's almost show time." And then she followed Duo's tracks out of the tent, not waiting for the other four to fall in behind her.

 

 

"Ladies and Gentlemen and Children of All Ages!" The ringmaster's voice boomed out over the speakers placed around the big tent. The packed crowd cheered and clapped before settling down a bit. "Tonight we have prepared for you a one-time only appearance of some very special people, so we invite you to sit back and enjoy your trip through A Dream Fantasy!"

All the lights went out, plunging the tent into darkness. Suddenly, sparkly flashes of light began to dance about the crowd. Had one looked, they would have discovered the source of this sparkling light to be the large round 'disco' ball turning at the top of the tent. Children were giggling; people were ooh-ing and ah-ing as a soft twinkling music began to fill the air. The effect was what one would imagine as fairies flittering by. Colorful sequins and sparkles caught the tiny flashes of light and reflected, as there was movement down below in the rings.

The music deepened to a primordial beat as soft red and green and blue lights began to filter into

the rings... lighting up the "Parade of Animals". As if by magic, all the animals called out to the audience in greeting--thrilling the audience. First in the parade were the elephants led by a young woman in a navy blue tutu, their trunk-noses bleating out a god-awful ruckus that delighted the children. They wore shiny-sequined 'hats' that looked like bonnets and cape-like blankets over their backs. Four of the six beasts also had a 'bracelet' on one leg.

Next in line were the yapping dogs that ranged in size from a minuscule Chihuahua to a monstrous Great Dane. Each dog--twelve in total--wore an annoying looking ruffled collar with bells or feathers or sequins. They danced around the rings, some running ahead, some falling behind, circling a small boy in a green and blue clown suit.

Two dancing medium-sized brown bears were behind them, bear-waltzing around the tent. A young girl walked calmly behind them in a bright, sunny yellow tutu, smiling and waving to the crowd.

The elephants lead the parade around the ring twice, loosing the dogs to the right-most ring and the two bears to the left-most ring. The lights began to follow the elephants to into a third circle when a troop of ten white or dapple-grey horses galloped into the tent, circling twice--the elephants had made a hasty retreat out of their way--before jumping the foot perimeter of the center ring. They continued their gallop in the center circle, the feathers in their headpieces flying with the momentum. The silver buckles of their harnesses clanking and twinkling.

The music surged and a spot light focused in at another entrance---and in a blur of blue and purple and green, another horse--solid black--bolted from the entrance, it's rider perched on it's back---standing.

The crowd went wild with delight, screaming with cheer as the horse jumped into the center ring without breaking the stride of the ten white horses--it's rider falling from a standing to sitting position as it came full circle to the center of the ring, rearing and then settling. The rider slid off the gelding's back and raised his arms in salute. The crowd cheered. He bowed before them and then turned back to the eleven horses.

The horses trotted in their circle, changing direction with a moments notice. They circled and they dipped and they bowed before the delighted audience. Their final act was a 'line dance' *on* the ring---which looked like it was only a foot wide but was actually three feet wide. The crowd was hollering and applauding like mad as the animals pranced out of the tent.

"Good job," Catherine called out as the young man in the blue-purple-and-green jumpsuit passed her.

Heero shot her a look, nodded, and told her "Thanks" before disappearing with his animals to the back.

Catherine was already on the move, jumping up to the back of the lead elephant and moving them out into the main tent. Heero could hear the ringmaster introducing her.

"Oh, Heero! You was fantastic out there!" a voice he recognized as Quatre's cried from behind him. "I gotta get out there now. Good luck with the rest of the show!" The cotton-candied-polka-dotted clown disappeared after the elephants; seven children also dressed as clowns swarming around him.

Heero handed over the horses to an older looking man who nodded and congratulated him on a good job, too. Heero didn't reply, just turned back to the small tent that they'd claimed earlier to change into his next costume. He was just inside the tent when he felt a body press up against his back.

"You, are incredible," a husky voice practically growled in his ear.

"We don't have time for this, Duo," Heero said--not harshly, really, just tired--as he felt the hardness pushing against his backside.

"Time for what?" Duo purred, pressing his hips into Heero's well-toned backside.

Heero held back the groan that was ready to fall from his lips and said instead, "You know damn well what."

Duo pulled back, his hands trailing over the smooth spandex-encased body teasingly. "Hey! Can I help it if you turn me on so easily."

"Yes," Heero grounded reaching around his back for the clasps that held the spandex together.

"Hmphf," the braided one replied, slapping Heero's fingers away and tackling the clasps himself. He peeled the skin-hugging material away from his love's back, trailing kisses as he went.

"Duo..." he warned hoarsely, trying to tug the suit off quicker--so he could change into the next one.

"Not even a real..." kiss "quick..." tongue laved against salty skin "turn?" teeth nipped gently at well-toned muscles.

"N-no," Heero said, swallowing, ripping the spandex down his shoulders and torso and over his waist and hips.

"Seeing you riding those horses out there..." Duo continued, his voice husky and low, his hands rubbing against Heero's hips and thighs as he helped push the clingy spandex down his legs. "I got so turned on... all I could think about was *me* riding *you*..." His tongue darted out and laved a wet trail over his hip. Heero did groan then.

"Duo..." he tried again his voice shakier than before.

"Real quick..?" the braided one pleaded. "We're wasting valuable time by arguing..." He rubbed his hips against the other. Heero's eyes fluttered shut as another groan tore from his throat. Another thrust of Duo's little hips, had him kneeling over a trunk for support.

He wasn't sure exactly how he'd managed it, but Duo was out of his own spandex jumpsuit and thrusting into Heero in less than a minute. Both boys cried out as Duo's throbbing member tore into Heero's dry passage, thrusting over and over and over again in a frenzied, pulsating tempo.

The tent flap opened but neither boy noticed, too caught up in their impromptu session of love. It was the body pressing up against Duo's back and the hand reaching around to take Heero's throbbing member in a demanding grasp that broke through their haze.

"I should've guessed you wouldn't have been able to resist," Wufei growled in Duo's ear, his teeth tugging at the sensitive lobe, pulling it into his mouth and sucking it briefly. Duo gave a start, thrusting even faster into Heero. Heero gave a tortured cry as Wufei's hand pulled at his last restraints.

"Wanton," Wufei growled before sliding around and slipping to his knees between Heero and the trunk.

Quickly, without warning, Wufei swallowed Heero's length, pulling at it, sucking hard, coaxing the Japanese boy to come. His tongue swirled and teased its head, dipping down as far as he could, teeth grazing its swollen need as his head bobbed up and down repeatedly. His hand reached up and squeezed its sac, his other touching himself through his own spandex suit.

A strangled cry was a warning he didn't need as he opened his throat and swallowed all that Heero had to offer. Duo was right behind him with his own climax as, with a final thrust of his hips, he came, spilling himself into Heero's spent body.

Wufei stood up, licking his lips. He pressed against Heero and leaned over and kissed Duo deeply, sharing the salty-sweet taste of Heero's seed.

"We better hurry," he said, breaking away from the kiss. "I was sent to tell you we have five minutes to get to the tent. That was three minutes ago."

Heero grunted, reaching for the silver and gold spandex jumpsuit that was his next costume.

"Remind me... to come to... to circuses... more often," Duo gasped as Wufei helped him reposition his pink-and-silver jumpsuit.

 

  
"You're here," Trowa stated calmly as the three boys came up beside him near the entrance to the main tent.

"Heero, uh, had a problem with his suit," Duo smirked, knowing full-well that the other boy *knew* what the 'problem' had been...

Inside the crowd was applauding wildly. Small bodies began to rush by them. One body stopped in front of them, sputtering. "I'm wet!" Quatre choked out. "That little kid hit me with a seltzer bottle!"

Duo laughed. "It's a good look for you Q-man! Goes really well with the blue hair!"

Quatre Raberba Winner shot his friend a look and then leaned up on his tippy-toes and placed a kiss on Trowa's lips. "Be careful out there," he told the taller boy softly. "I don't want anyone I care about getting hurt."

"We'll be fine, Q-man! You worry too much!" Duo chirped, slapping the young clown on the back.

Quatre continued to look up into Trowa's face. The tall boy just nodded with a small smile. And then Catherine was there at their side, a troop of elephants following her. She pinched Quatre's arm and pulled him away with her.

"C'mon, blondie, you've gotta get out there in the stands!" they heard her saying as she dragged him off.

"Heero, Duo, you two go out first. Wufei and I will follow in a minute." Heero and Wufei both looked at him, but Heero nodded. Their cue music sounded and the two boys ran out into the open circle--Duo, cart wheeling, Heero, hand flips.

"What's wrong?" Wufei asked, frown in place as he stared up at the much-taller boy.

Trowa's hands pressed against Wufei's upper arms as the boy stepped closer to the Chinese youth. "You must trust me, Chang Wufei," Trowa said lowly. "Trust me not to let you fall either," he whispered, leaning over so that his lips brushed against Wufei's. Meeting no resistance, he pressed more, his tongue sweeping over Wufei's lips and then into his mouth.

He pulled back suddenly, staring down at the slightly bemused Chinese boy. A hand come up on it's own to brush Wufei's cheek. "I will not let you fall," he repeated before turning back to the entrance and running out into the center ring. With a small jump, he launched into the air, twisting, turning over, and then landing, falling into a bowed position.

Wufei stood startled for another second... and then snapped into action. A blur of emerald green and gold appeared from the entrance, back flipping with ease and grace.

The crowd loved it.

Truth be told, one does not expect acrobatics to be a part of an ordinary pilot's training. But then, truth also told that these four boys were no ordinary pilots. Their performance was worthy of any professional acrobat and if there was any hitch or flaw, the crowd was none the wiser.

Cart wheels, front and back flips, handstand, round offs, straddles, splits--Duo regretted that--summersaults, human-balls (an interesting little trick where two people hold each other's ankles and, well, roll!) and a variety of other tricks filled up the fifteen minute time slot they were responsible.

Stepping through the tent entrance flaps a small bundle of energy threw itself into Trowa's chest. "You guys were great! Simply great!" Quatre rushed, reaching up to place a chaste kiss on Trowa's lips.

Wufei shot the tall boy a look; Trowa calmly returned the look before Quatre claimed his attention again, turning the boy around and reaching for the clasps at the back of the bodysuit. The blond continued to ramble on about how 'great' they all were. Wufei turned and got out of there as quickly as possible. Heero and Duo were right behind him, leaving the other two alone--well, as alone as it was possible to be when you were in a circus.

"You and Wufei were excellent out there, Trowa, simply excellent," he was saying as he helped peel away the clingy bodysuit. His fingers brushed sensitive spots, bringing gooseflesh to Trowa's skin as he was undressed and then quickly dressed in his new costume. He shifted the tight leather pants, readjusting the tiger-striped vest over the white midriff-revealing tank top.

"I could eat you up right now," Quatre purred, leaning up again and claiming Trowa's mouth. Tongues, teeth, lips... the whole works, until Catherine cleared her throat rather loudly behind them.

"Okay, that's enough you too," she said, arms crossed. "There's a show going on in case you've forgotten?"

Trowa smiled, leaning back over, brushing his lips over Quatre's briefly. "Later," he promised.

"Be careful," Quatre returned. Behind them the ringmaster was introducing the 'Cat's Lair'. "Good luck," he added quickly as Trowa pulled away.

"Don't worry, Quatre," Catherine said, watching as the other boy greeted the crowd. "I don't think there's another person more capable with those cats. So you all ready to be a human hitting board?" she asked, turning to him with a wicked grin.

 

 

Inside the small tent that acted as their dressing room, all was quiet... until the tent flap was wrenched back and a definitely-upset Chang Wufei strode in. Heero and Duo followed behind him at a more sedated pace. The Chinese boy was radiating off heat ten-fold. Reaching behind him he began pulling at the clasps that held the bodysuit closed, ripping it off and down his shoulders and arms, peeling it away from his burning skin.

Heero pushed Duo's braid out of the way and nimble fingers unclasped the fastenings on the neon-pink-and-silver bodysuit. Turning, Duo returned the favor, opening the gold-and-silver bodysuit for Heero.

"Hey, Wu-man, you okay?" Duo called out to the boy who was tearing at the clingy body suit.

"I'm fine, Maxwell, just fine," the dark haired boy ground out, pushing the suit over his hips, his back turned away.

Duo shot Heero a confused look. The Japanese boy tilted his head towards Wufei and then nodded. A light lit in those violet depths before flaring. The corners of Heero's lips lifted as he helped slip Duo out of his costume.

"Hey, Wufei," Duo said, prancing over to the Chinese boy who was trying to pull his feet free from the damn nylon. "Could you help me with this?"

"With what?" Wufei snapped, finally wrangling his one foot free.

"With *this*," Duo said entreatingly.

Wufei gave an exasperated sigh and turned around, greeting Duo's long back bent over a trunk, Duo's bare skin wiggling against his throbbing cock. Wufei swallowed and closed his eyes. "Now's not the time, Duo," he breathed as Duo pushed back against him.

"No time like the present," Duo countered.

"There's not enough tim--"

"Now where have I heard that before?" Duo asked with a smirk. "OH, yeah... that's what Heero said earlier." He arched his back, thrusting his hips back. Wufei's searing member slid over his crack and between his legs. He moaned. "Please Wufei," he managed.

"Duo..." Wufei's head fell back, his hips pushing forward of their own accord. A body pressed against his back, pushing him harder against Duo and he groaned, feeling Heero's demanding hardness. Hands dug into his hips, pulling him back. He followed, his head rolling back onto the Japanese boy's shoulder as a hand wrapped around him and squeezed, pulling.

"Don't make me beg, too," Heero whispered against Wufei's ear, his lips trailing down to suck on the delicate skin of Wufei's exposed throat. Wufei cried out, arching into both Heero's mouth and hand. The hand moved, following the crease of Duo's backside, which wiggled eagerly under his touch. Heero pushed Wufei closer, guiding the throbbing flesh into the opening he'd revealed. Skin slid against skin, slick, made easier by the cool gel Heero had transferred from his hand to Wufei and Duo's skin.

Wufei was panting, tiny cries catching in his throat. Duo arched back against him, a small strangled cry wrangling from his own throat, meeting, melding with Wufei's. Heero grinned, pleased, as his two lover's bodies mated beneath him. Reaching for the small tube he'd dropped to the trunk he quickly slathered the contents over his own member, before guiding himself into Wufei's tight passage. Wufei moaned, moving back to swallow him farther... but Heero beat him to the punch, thrusting fully into the Chinese boy, pushing Wufei fully into Duo again. Two gasps reached his ears and his smiling lips closed around Wufei's neck as he pushed the smaller body over Duo's, taking both boys at once.

The boys fell into a rhythm all three bodies were more than accustomed to. Heero, cooing in Wufei's ear, encouraging the boy to let go; Duo, writhing beneath him, begging him to let go... as familiar to him as the tiny cries both boys managed to wrest from him. He was weak under their administrations... weak, and loving every minute of it.

Wufei's head whipped back, a strangled scream falling into Heero's waiting mouth as his body let go, coming violently. It was all the encouragement his two lovers needed. Duo's arms gave out, sagging down against the trunk. Wufei and Heero's weight settled down over him--a warm, familiar weight. His cheek was pressed into the truck, but he didn't mind, slaphappy grin in place.

"I don't think I'll ever think of a circus the same way again," he hissed out, eyes drooping as his breathing began to even out.

"There you are!" a fourth voice called out behind them. "Can't leave you three alone for five minutes, can we?"

Someone above--Heero, maybe?--grunted.

"Mmm, a Wufei sandwich. Looks yummy."

Someone was finally stirring, giving him room to move. He cracked an eye opened and sent a glare over to the blond--no blue--no, blond young man. "Whadaya want, Quatre?" he managed to say, despite the weight pushing down on his lungs.

If he didn't know better, he'd think that the pale boy's cheeks were coloring pink. But it was more likely a result of an excess of scrubbing to get the clown make-up off his face. The boy had changed costumes, and--although still in a clown's suit--looked... classier somehow.

"Actually," Quatre said--with a forced calmness as he pulled three shiny white leotards from an upturned trunk. "I want you to switch places with me," he continued.

That caught the attention of the three a-moment-before-slated boys.

"What? What for?" Duo was asking, pushing off of the trunk, unaware of the red welts that were pressed into his stomach.

"Quatre," Heero was saying stoically, taking one of the costumes from Quatre and tossing it to Wufei. "We both know you're afraid of heights. Why would you want to switch with Duo?" He took the next costume and started pulling it on over his nude body.

"I, well, you see, it's like this, um.. uh... well--"

"You're not afraid Catherine will hurt you, are you?" Heero pulled the white cloth over waist and torso, not looking at the blond boy. Hence he didn't see the pink shade of the boy's cheeks deepen to a heady rouge Wufei, however, did.

"Little one," he was saying, hands coming up to rub Quatre's arms. "Trowa loves you; He would never do anything that would cause you harm." Quatre bit his lower lip and slowly nodded. Wufei smiled down at him and then placed a little kiss on his nose. "Now, zip me up?" he asked, turning his back to the blond.

"Ah! There you are, Quatre! Hurry up!" Catherine said in a flurry, rushing inside the tent and snatching the boy's hand. "We're on in another Minute!"

Blue turquoise eyes searched out the three other boys pleadingly, but found no escape as he was dragged out of the tent. Trowa met them at the main tent entrance, already pulling off his vest and white tee and heading for the "dressing tent". "Is everything okay?" he asked, seeing Quatre's pale face.

"Everything's fine!" Catherine replied brightly, dragging the smaller boy into the tent with her.

It was a blur for Quatre. He found himself pressing back against the board behind him, praying to Allah to protect him for the mad woman who was about to throw her knives at him--and he was standing there, letting her!

The first blade wizzed through the air and sounded with a loud <<THUNK>> right over his left shoulder...just below his ear.

He swallowed.

Three more knives came hurtling through the air, aimed at his body, and becoming embedded into the board, cuffing his arms.

Two more at his wrists--had he lowered his arms a fraction of an inch, he would touch the cool steel.

Two blades flanked his hips. Two, his knees, and two more, his ankles. He stood there motionless--debating whether to piss his pants or pass out... neither a very glorious alternative, but either certainly more welcome that this, ne? He swallowed again.

'Good, Quatre,' Catherine thought her wicked little smile in place. 'You're doing just fine. Keep up the act!'

Three more tosses. Turquoise eyes looked left, looked right, and saw the cold glint of steel. Cross-eyed, looking up, another handle dangled. His eyes flew back to Catherine. Sure enough, in her hand, glistened... one... more... blade...

He swallowed and closed his eyes, afraid to watch. He heard the crowd screaming. He felt the wood behind him quiver as another blade sunk into it. And he tried to breathe.

"It's over, Quatre," an amused voice was saying over him. "You can open your eyes now."

Turquoise eyes blinked opened. He was alive. She hadn't killed him. He was really alive.

Catherine gave him a look, thirteen blades in hands. "Uh, I'll get it if you don't mind, but..."

He looked at her dumbfounded. She nodded her head and he looked down. His eyes went wide as his throat struggled to swallow. "Ah, ah, I'll get it," he fumbled, reaching between his legs to pull out the last blade. He swallowed again, handing the last blade to the woman.

"Great," she chirped, turning and bowing again before the crowd.

Quatre was out ahead of her, brushing past the four waiting boys in the wings.

"Quatre? Quatre?" Trowa tired to catch the small blond, but the boy was too quick. "What's wrong?" he asked Catherine.

"Nothing at all," she replied. A look was exchanged between Heero, Wufei, and Duo. "Everything went well. He was just a little surprised by the last shot, that's all. Good luck out there on the wire, guys!" she called, brushing by them as well to make it to her own tent.

Trowa looked ready to follow but inside the big tent the Ringmaster was announcing the high wire act. They were on.

The crowd was roaring with their excitement. Heero, Duo, Wufei, and Trowa stood before them, the spotlight shining unforgivingly down upon them, catching the iridescent threads in their white leotards and glossing them over in rainbow shades.

"Remember the powder," Trowa cautioned as the four separated into pairs and began climbing the rope ladder that lead up to the high wire stretched forty feet overhead. Fifteen feet up they passed the safety net. Wufei and Duo both eyed the thing with wariness.

"Hey, Heero," Duo called up to the other boy ahead of him. "You ever do anything like this?"

"No." the dark-haired boy replied calmly.

"Hn," Duo replied... at a loss for words. He swallowed, but kept climbing.

"The important thing is to keep balance," Trowa said calmly to the boy climbing behind him.

"Balance," Wufei repeated, looking down at the net again.

"Don't worry about falling," Trowa continued. "If you fall, you fall, and the net will catch you. But if you relax and keep balance, you will not fall."

"I'm not going to fall," Wufei told him, climbing up onto the small platform beside Trowa.

Trowa looked down at him and smiled. "No," he said calmly. "You will not fall, Chang Wufei."

Wufei held that emerald gaze for another moment before looking out across the wire to the other platform. Duo and Heero were standing there, watching them. Behind him, Trowa raised a hand. Heero nodded and then began out on the line.

"Here," Trowa said, handing Wufei a large pole. "Remember to keep the balance."

The pole slipped in his hands and Wufei realized there was powder on it, coating his sweaty palms. "Keep the balance, right," he repeated, looking back out the wire. Heero was about halfway, stepping forward and back in a little dance-like way.

"When you get out there, make sure you don't twist the pole."

"Don't twist the pole. Got it."

"Good... and Wufei?"

The Chinese boy looked over his shoulder.

"Relax. We've done hundreds of things more dangerous than this," Trowa said with a little smile.

Wufei frowned, but nodded, stepping out onto the wire.

Heero stared at him the entire way; cobalt eyes searing into onyx depths. They met in the middle.

"You look a little pale," he said, taking the pole from him.

"I feel a little light headed is all," Wufei replied, making sure not to twist the pole.

Heero's fingers sought for and found the little niche in the pole. He smiled. "I need you to steady me, kay? I'm gonna bend over."

"Are you crazy?" Wufei hissed.

"Yeah, but that's never stopped me before," Heero replied, already beginning to lean back. "Besides, what's the worst that can happen? I fall? Been there, done that."

Wufei snorted. "You've been hanging around Maxwell too long. You're starting to talk like him."

Heero was completely bent over backwards now and slid the wire into the little niche. He braced his hands on either side of the wire and tested it, seeing if it would hold. It did. "'kay," he grunt. "Get on back to Trowa."

"You are crazy, Heero Yuy," Wufei said, slowly backing away. Heero grunted but didn't reply. By the time Wufei was back at the platform with Trowa, Heero was in a handstand, his body completely perpendicular to the wire...and Duo was inching out onto the wire.

"What the hell you think you're doing?" Duo hissed as he inched closer.

"Stop shaking the wire, baka. This isn't as easy as it looks."

Duo froze, now afraid to move. "Actually, it doesn't look easy at all, Hee-chan... It looks down-right impossible." And then his frown was replaced with a cheeky grin. "Which I guess explains how you're doin' it, huh? Mr. Yuy, doing the impossible again!"

"Watch out," Heero grounded out, not bothering to answer the question. Slowly, achingly slow, Heero lowered his legs until they were parallel to the wire. He held that position for another moment before bending in. A moment later his foot touched the wire. He leaned, resting more of his weight off his arms and onto his legs. The wire held steady until he was standing up straight again.

Somewhere below the crowd was cheering, but he wasn't paying it any attention as his gaze met Wufei's and Trowa's. The Chinese boy was smiling, relieved. The taller boy was also smiling; Trowa nodded his head in acknowledgement. Heero pivoted and stared into the violet eyes of his love.

"You're crazy, you know that, Heero Yuy?"

Heero smiled. "So I've been told," he replied. "Ready?"

Duo sighed and rolled his eyes, but he bent over, placing his weight onto his hands. Kicking his legs up, he felt Heero catch his ankles... and the pair began their jaunt back to their platform.

Trowa was next out on the wire on a unicycle. He held two flashy-colored hula-hoops with streamers. The main trick was keeping the cycle balanced, but the grooved wheel that hugged the wire made the trick easier than it seemed from forty feet below. The result: a colorful trick that delighted the crowd.

Back at the platform with Wufei, Trowa reattached the wheel to its holder and then bent, releasing the wire which snapped and fell like a dead snake to clang against the other pole. Looking to Heero and Duo, he nodded, and the four began to ascend to the next platform, twenty feet above them.

 

 

It took Catherine four minutes to get out of the purple tutu she had worn for the dagger-toss and into the shimmery white leotard version of the boy's costumes. Add three minutes to pin unruly curls up and fasten the matching headpiece. A minute to retouch her make-up and that's how long it took her to get ready for the trapeze. She slipped the padded gloves over her hands even as she slipped her foot into the harness that would lift her the sixty feet to the trapeze platform.

She was waiting when Heero and Duo cleared the platform.

"Good job down there," she told Heero with a grin. "Nice to finally see you so mobile..."

"Hn."

Duo hung over Heero's shoulder, smiling at her. "That's Heeroese for 'Why, thank you! I'm happy you enjoyed the show and yes, it is good to be able to move. There are so many interesting things to do when you're mobile.'" Duo pressed his hips against Heero's as he leaned over the boy.

Catherine laughed. "Is that right?"

"Yep!"

"Well, here's something fun for you to do," she said releasing the bar. "Keep the bar swinging steady. Catch us and we'll catch you, okay? Trowa and I will do all the heavy stuff. Don't worry if you don't make a catch--just try not to scream too much when you fall. Got it?"

She beamed a smile at them that Duo could only describe as wicked. Duo began to wish maybe that he *had* switched places with Quatre earlier.

"Got it," Heero said for them both.

"Good," Catherine replied curtly before jumping off the platform.

Duo did a double take--and saw the bar she was swinging from.

"Hey, Hee-chan? You nervous any?"

"No."

"How much you think it'll hurt if you fall?"

Heero took his eyes away from Catherine's swing form as she moved over the bar and looked at his love. "I'm sure it hurts a hell of a lot less than falling down a cliff... or self destructing... or getting the shit beat out of you... or--"

"Or a belly-flop?"

Cobalt eyes looked into violet eyes...and he smiled. "No, it probably hurts about the same as a belly flop, why?"

Duo sighed and then smiled. "Just checking," he replied cheekily.

 

 

"Catherine and I will do all the hard stunts," Trowa said calmly. "Trust me, okay? I promise not to drop you."

"I do," the Chinese boy replied.

"Good, then let's go."

The two stepped out onto the bar Trowa had lowered and began to swing. Trowa dropped, dangling from his legs. Wufei sat, his legs dangling over. Trowa curled up and grabbed his ankles. Wufei dropped, falling free until Trowa's hold caught. They swung that way for a couple turns.

"Ready?" Catherine called out.

"Ready!"

one... two... three! Wufei flipped forward, hands outstretched.

Catherine caught his hands. They swung a couple of times, building their rhythm and then she swung him up. He caught the bar and hooked his legs, falling back down beside Catherine.

"All right, Heero! Your turn!" She called.

One...two...three. Heero jumped off the edge of the platform, leaving Duo alone. Four hands caught him and the three bodies began swinging back and forth with more force.

"Ready?" Trowa called.

"Ready." Heero returned.

One... two... three. Heero somersaulted over to Trowa, skin slapping against skin with the catch. Blue eyes looked up into green. Heero nodded and then swung up onto the bar. He fell down beside Trowa.

"Your turn, Duo!"

Following Heero's movements, Duo jumped off the platform, Catherine and Wufei catching him. He flipped over to Trowa and Heero, the two catching him easily. His grip switched to Heero's as Trowa jumped up. Duo slid into Trowa's vacated spot. Trowa dropped so that it was now Heero and Duo swinging *him* through the air.

Trowa triple flipped, Catherine and Wufei catching him. He switched places with Catherine. She repeated his stunt and Heero and Duo caught her. She swung up and then hopped back onto the platform, leaving the boys out of the bars.

Duo dropped and Heero caught him. On the other bar, Trowa was swinging Wufei in the same fashion. Heero tossed Duo. Trowa tossed Wufei. The two boys passed in the air. Heero caught Wufei. Trowa caught Duo.

"If I swing anymore I'm gonna be sick," Duo grumbled, after Trowa steadied them.

"Almost over, Maxwell," he told the braided boy. He tossed Duo up, and then, like with Wufei before, he caught Duo's ankles and the boy swung down. Heero tossed Wufei. Duo caught him and then swung him up. Wufei stood up and then moved to the side so Duo could swing up beside him. Duo kept the swing in motion as Wufei and Trowa switched positions. And then Duo dropped down beside Wufei. Together, they caught Trowa and then tossed him over to Heero.

One hand missed and there was a gasp from the crowd.

"Dammit, Barton," Heero as both hands grabbed Trowa's. "Where the hell are you packing it all away?"

Trowa grinned up at him. "What can I say? I'm a big boy."

Heero grunted and swung him up. Trowa dropped down beside him and Heero fell, swinging back and forth in Trowa's grasp. A double somersault returned him to Duo and Wufei.

Wufei and he quickly exchanged places and he and Duo tossed the Chinese boy back to Trowa. Trowa and Wufei took Catherine back on and then returned her to Heero and Duo.

And that was enough of that for a first time. Or at least Duo thought so and made *quite* sure the others knew it. Everyone returned back to their platforms in one piece.

Sixty feet below them, the crowd was going wild over their performance.

"Hee, hee, hee," Duo said with glee. "I didn't fall! Whahoo! Go me! Go me! Go me!"

"Yet," Heero corrected him.

Duo was about to ask what he meant by that when there was a pressure at his back... that gently pushed him over the edge. Duo cried at, his arms swinging out before training kicked in and he tucked himself over.

"Relax!" a voice called after him...

"You're next," Trowa said, turning to Wufei after Duo hit the net forty-five feet below and rolled off.

The boy turned a frown to him. "What do you mean, I'm next?"

"Dismount," the taller boy added, as though that one word explained everything. Wufei continued to look at him and he sighed. "Unless you want to climb the ladder down," Trowa motioned to the empty space in front of them. "It's the quickest way down. Just land on your back and roll off. Heero and I will be right behind you."

Wufei eyed him but then with a sigh stepped off the edge. He hit the net with a <<WHOOSH>> and immediately tucked and rolled. He had barely hit solid ground when he heard the net springs give over him. A few feet away Heero dropped to the ground. A glaring Duo walked up to him.

"Was that absolutely necessary?" he moaned.

Heero turned to him. "I was right. It's just like a belly-flop."

Trowa dropped to the ground behind them. "Not bad," he said, a small smile pulling at his lips. "For newbies." Three pairs of eyes turned to glare at him. Catherine slipped her foot out of the harness used to both raise and lower her and jumped to the ground.

"You guys did great," she said, smiling broadly as she came up to them. "Now, bow to your adoring fans," she added, smirking.

 

 

Quatre Raberba Winner, heir to Winner Enterprises and all it's holdings, stood buck-naked in front of the humble mirror in the dressing tent.

"Well *that's* a nice sight to come home to," a voice said from the tent entrance.

"I'm still alive," the blond boy whispered, still staring at the mirror.

"You were expecting otherwise?" an amused voice asked sarcastically.

He turned around, looking at his four comrades. "I'm still alive," he repeated, and then, holding up his arms, "Not a mark. Not a single scratch."

"Came out luckier than I did," Trowa replied calmly, walking the rest of the way inside and starting to unhook his costume.

"She didn't kill me," Quatre continued in the same shocked tone. And then he snapped out of it. "Trowa, you know I love you and would do anything for you, but the next time I offer to, please, please, please just say 'No, Quatre, that's okay.' Okay?"

Trowa frowned and turned back around, searing his love with a look. "Quatre, what's this all abou--" He was cut off by the small blond who launched himself at the taller boy's chest and then by the questing lips that pressed to his. Trowa was unresponsive for only a moment, and then with a sigh and moan, he sank into the kiss, pushing the small blond into a nearby trunk.

"You know," Duo said, pulling his braid out of the way so Heero could unhook him as he unhooked Wufei. He walked away from the two, peeling off his suit. Heero turned and Wufei unhooked Heero. "We should bring that trunk home with us."

His two lovers shot him a look and he shrugged. "It's a damn lucky trunk," he told them with a wink.

"Hey guys? Here's the mon-oh! Whoa! Sorry to interrupt," Catherine said, making to duck back out of the tent. Then she paused, tilting her head. "Doesn't that bother you at all?" she asked the three boys who were in various states of dress and undress.

"What? Them too going at it like that?" Duo asked with a grin. "Nah, we're good for another half-hour." He shot her a wink, pulling his legs free from the clingy bodysuit.

"Oh," Catherine replied as if that made perfect sense to her... and then frowned when she realized it didn't. She made a face and then turned to leave.

"Catherine?" Heero called after her. She turned back at the flap. "Has a doctor been by to see to your people?"

A smile washed away her confused frown. "Yes! Quatre called someone named Sally and she came by to check on everybody. I think she still may be around. I did invite her to stay..."

"Sally?" Wufei choked, turning red. "Sally saw the show?"

Duo grabbed a wad of paper and began fanning Wufei. "Breath, Wu-man, breath!" he coaxed.

"What was the diagnosis?" Heero asked her, slapping Wufei hard on the back. The Chinese boy gasped and then started dragging in deep breaths.

"Food poisoning, can you believe that?" the young woman replied with a wry grin. "But she said everyone should be fine within twenty-four hours."

Heero nodded. "That's good news."

"Auh, shucks," Duo groped. "So you won't need us for tomorrow night, then, huh? And I was beginning to have a new appreciation for the circus, too."

"Tro-tro-Trowa!" Quatre gasped, bent over a specific trunk as the tall boy moved against his naked little body.

Duo grinned as the blush on Catherine's cheeks deepened. "Sounds like Quatre, too!"

 

**********Owari: Big Night at the Big Top**********

On to Promise of the Rings: Part 12

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

 

**Part Twelve: Melting Pot**

 

October 198 AC

Talking to Heero had been the easiest, he reflected. Wufei had not been so easy. Still, by talking to those two first, he effectively eliminated the need to talk to Duo. His two lovers would broach the topic with the long-haired, loud-mouth Preventer.

One might laugh at the idea of the five boys, veterans of war, hooking up in an orgy of bodies being a result of the longings of the smallest member of their team, the innocent-looking blond boy, but that one would not be anyone who had met the blond on the battlefield-either during the war or in the business arena of today. Those that *had* met him knew the petite young man to be a keen strategist with a sharp eye and a good heart. And the fact that his lover loved him so desperately that he would do anything for him... well, that only brought results sooner.

Quatre had always had an eye for the beautiful-gendered or not. Art, music, a landscape, a thought, a man or a woman-he loved all things beautiful. That his fellow pilots were all beautiful-in body, spirit, and thought-only made them more attractive to him. Still, the small blond was so in love with Trowa that, quite possibly, had Trowa not gone to the other pilots, the relationship that evolved between the five men might never have come to pass.

 

 

Quatre was sitting in his home study, working on the newest proposals for Mars his sister Ranalyn sent him, when the door opened.

"Quatre."

The voice was low, a bit husky, rumbling deep from the throat and chest-with just the hint of chastisement. It caused a shiver to slide up and down the blond's spine, seeping between his legs and tightening. He steeled his features into a pleasant smile before looking up to the young man filling his doorway.

"Yes, Heero? Is something wrong?"

"Iie."

Quatre's smile tried to falter, to melt into a moan from the simple thrum of that deep voice surrounding him, intoxicating him. He swiveled in his desk chair, turning away from his computer and crossing his legs as he faced his young Japanese friend. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Hai."

Still the other boy didn't move from the door and Quatre's smile frowned. "What is it, Heero?" He didn't dare stand-he didn't want the other boy to see the growing hard-on tenting his normally loose pants.

"Duo and Wufei are gone," Heero answered simply.

Quatre nodded, leaning back in his chair. "Yes, something came up while you were away," he answered the unspoken question. "They went with Trowa to take care of it." No more was necessary to tell the Japanese boy-even if he'd *known* more details.

Heero nodded but still didn't move.

"Was there, ah, something else?"

Heero nodded but didn't say anything.

"What is it?" Quatre asked, becoming more uncomfortable by the second. "You know I'll help you with anything I can."

"I need your help-" Heero began, Quatre nodding and murmuring an 'of course'. "In a project of mine," he continued after a moment.

"Whatever it is," Quatre agreed, slightly curious as to what project the normally independent soldier was working on that would send him in search of help.

Heero nodded and then stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. "I was hoping you'd say that."

The door clicking shut behind a slowly advancing Heero Yuy alarmed Quatre-mainly because of the erection he was trying to hide--and he turned back to swing his legs under his desk. "So what is it you need my help for?" Quatre asked, folding his hands over the desk and leaning forward.

"I need to test a hypothesis." Heero was standing in front of his desk now, staring at him.

"Okay," Quatre replied. 'Trying to pull information from Heero was like trying to open a can without a can opener,' he thought, his lips quirking at the amusing thought. "What do you need me to do?"

"Strip."

Quatre blinked. Twice. *Surely* he hadn't heard the Japanese boy right. He *didn't* just say-Heero remained standing before the desk, waiting expectantly. When Quatre continued to just sit there, staring at him, he stepped around the wooden barrier.

Quatre smiled and shook his head. "I don't think I understood-"

"It's simple. Strip," Heero repeated. "Take off your clothes."

"Now wait a minute, Heero," Quatre held his hands up as if to ward the other boy off-even though Heero made no move to touch him. "I really don't think-"

"You said you would help," Heero pointed out calmly.

"How does *my* being undressed help you?" Quatre practically shouted in exasperation.

Heero didn't reply, just stood there waiting expectantly, causing Quatre to become even more flustered by these strange turn of events. And then Heero leaned forward and brushed his lips against Quatre's in a chaste kiss. If the Japanese boy had come in here asking him to strip, Quatre couldn't have been more surprised-oops, wait a minute, he *did* do that, didn't he? Quatre giggled inside, pressing back against the soft lips brushing over his. And then his lips parted and he deepened the kiss.

Heero was at once surprised and then relieved when Quatre didn't push him away. For a moment there he'd been worried that the blond *would* reject him, despite Trowa's assurances that he wouldn't. He was glad that the young man's lover had been right about the Arabian. Heero slid to his knees, never breaking the kiss as he positioned himself closer to the blond-but never touching him anywhere other then his lips. He concentrated on that one point of contact, allowing the rush of energy that surged through him to connect and share and spread out through the blond boy. Quatre gasped and pulled back suddenly.

He stared down at the other boy kneeling before him wondrously. One hand reached up and pressed his own lips, as if to hold the warmth of Heero's kiss to them. "Why did you do that?" he asked, his voice husky and shallow of breath.

"Because I wanted to," Heero answered honestly.

"What about Duo and Wufei?" He studied him, watching for any little effect his words might have on the other.

"What about them?" Heero asked, honestly puzzled by the question.

"You don't think they'd be upset if they came in here right now and saw us kissing?" Quatre returned, frowning. His chest burned, a mixture of his own desires to kiss the other youth again warring with his self-hate for betraying his lover and friends in this way.

"No."

Heero's answer threw him. "'No'?" Quatre repeated hotly. "You don't think they'd mind seeing their boyfriend kiss some other man?"

"You're not some other man," Heero replied calmly. "You're you."

Quatre stared at him, bamboozled. "I fail to see how-"

"You don't want me?"

The question was enough to knock him flat on his ass-had he been standing. As it was, Quatre's jaw hung open as he stared at Heero. "Where-" He swallowed. "Where'd you get an idea like that?"

"Trowa said so," Heero answered truthfully. "You said you loved us. All of us. Did you mean it?"

"Of course I-"

"How much?"

"What?!"

"How much do you love us?"

"Heero, I-" Whatever he'd been about to say melted in the fiery look directed on him by the other boy. "With my entire being," he answered, holding, returning Heero's locked gaze.

"Enough to test my theory?" Heero asked.

"What's your theory?" Quatre's breath was becoming more and more shallow, caught in quick little breaths as his body tingled. Quatre licked his lips.

"That we can be together. The five of us," Heero clarified. "Like I am with Duo and Wufei. Like you are with Trowa."

"Five as one," Quatre breathed... "I don't know, Heero. That's pretty kinky, even for me."

"You want me...?" It was more of a question than a statement as the Japanese boy leaned in close again-just enough to invade the Arabian's personal space without actually touching him. "You want Wufei and Duo...?"

"That all depends on your definition of 'want'," Quatre replied, his voice a breathy whisper and his eyes hooded over and he leaned in closer to the other boy.

"You want me to fuck you..." Heero slid his hands up the sides of the chair, right next to Quatre's legs, so close Quatre could feel the heat radiating off his arms, but never touching him.

Quatre leaned forward, a hissed 'yes' escaping from his lips before they pressed against Heero's. It was all the incentive needed. Heero tilted his chin up, slanted his mouth over Quatre's as he leaned up into the blond. His hands jumped from chair to thighs, gentle pressure easing Quatre's legs apart, allowing Heero to wedge in between them as his hands and fingers began kneading the thick, muscled thighs beneath his palms. He leaned up, pressing his stomach into the heated crotch, rubbing Quatre's arousal through the barrier of clothing, as he greedily took from his lips.

Quatre's hands buried into Heero's mussed hair, holding him close as their tongues dueled and danced. He moaned, allowing his senses to be bombarded by the Japanese youth. The bitter tanginess from the tea he liked to drink. The sweet musk of natural body odor that clung to him. The thick, soft strands of dark hair that tangled in his fingers. Quatre moaned again.

Heero's hands slipped up around Quatre's waist, pulling at the small of his back, pulling him forward until the blond boy tumbled out of his chair. Quatre tensed for a moment, and then fell completely willingly against Heero. He pulled the blond boy out of the chair and onto his lap, Quatre's legs falling to either side of Heero's waist as the two tumbled to the floor, knocking the chair back out of their way. Heero pressed Quatre into the floor, rocking against him.

Quatre arched up against him, taking everything he offered and wanting more. His hands slid free from the thick, dark hair to smooth over finely toned back and slip between jeans and slick skin to squeeze, mold, press Heero's ass. Quatre tore his lips away from Heero's, panting for breath as he threw his head back and pressed his hips closer. His throat vibrated with a moan under Heero's lips.

"Please," Quatre groaned, squirming beneath him.

"We need lube."

"You... didn't... bring any?" the blond panted, his body demanding release, wiggling against Heero's in a way that sent shivers of pleasure through both boys.

Heero nuzzled the spot just below Quatre's ear. "Hn. I hurt Wufei once on accident. It's not something I plan on repeating." He wiggled his hips and added "Front pocket."

Obediently, Quatre retrieved the tube of water-soluble personal lubricant and grinned. "Nice. You really know how to treat a guy, Heero," he teased his soon-to-be-lover.

"Hn." Heero worked Quatre's trousers loose, tilting the boy one-way or the other to help work the pants down. "Duo's the one who buys the lube," he replied.

Quatre tensed, reminding of his best friend-a boy he considered his brother. "Heero..."

All of his worry and doubt that was wrapped up in this whole encounter bubbled to the surface. He was about to make love with his best friend's lover, while his *own* lover was away on a mission. And here was his lover's best friend, *trying* to make to love to *him*! 'This isn't right!' his mind screamed at him.

'But I want this!' he tried to shout back. But his mind was ignoring him, going off on a rant until he felt it necessary to give in and stop what was happening. "Heero, wait," Quatre said, his hands circling around Heero's wrists, preventing him from removing Quatre's pants any farther.

The Japanese boy looked away from his mission of pants removal. Deep blue eyes met and held with light blue eyes, like the deep oceans meeting with the shallows. Blue on blue. Both boys were panting; need, want, desire, pounding through their young bodies, demanding.

"Quatre..."

"We can't do this," the blond boy gasped out on whispery breaths. "We *shouldn't* be doing this. It's not-fair. It's not right."

Heero palmed Quatre's swollen penis through the thin boxer briefs. He squeezed-just enough to cause pleasure but not pain. "It *feels* right," he replied. He twisted his wrist free from Quatre's grasp, seizing it and pulling it over his own cock. Quatre's fingers caressed his length before his palm cupped him completely. "How does it feel to you?"

Quatre moaned appreciatively, his eyes shutting against the tantalizing sight of Heero Yuy with lustful eyes. "Like sin," he answered.

Heero smiled at that, the thought striking him funny, and leaned down to whisper in Quatre's ear, "Well, I *am* Shinigami's lover..."

Bright blue eyes flew open and Quatre pulled his hand away. "That's right," he said, swallowing tensely. "You are. You're Duo's *and* Wufei's lover." He paused, letting that sink in. "And I'm Trowa's."

Quatre pushed up and away, rolling to his hands and knees and climbing back to his feet, refastening his trousers. "I'm sorry, Heero," he replied just above a whisper. "I can't help you with this hypothesis." He turned and beat a hasty retreat, leaving the Japanese boy alone in the study.

Heero laid there for several more minutes, contemplating the situation.

Quatre was attracted to him, but wouldn't do anything about it because of Trowa. And Wufei and Duo.

Would it change his mind if he knew about...?

Heero wasn't sure. He didn't know which path to take now. 'It would probably be best to wait for the others to return,' he thought, and, with that decision made, he climbed back to his feet and left for his own rooms to take a nice, relieving shower.

 

 

"Heero's probably home now," Duo commented, more than just a little sulkily. He dropped his tote next to the bed and flopped down, wide spread on the scratchy hotel-polyester covers.

"You *could* have stayed, Maxwell," Wufei retorted, moving to the dresser to begin putting his few articles of clothes away.

Duo rolled onto his stomach and propped his head up. "What, and let you two have all the fun?" Wufei snorted, taking out his laptop and rolling up his bag. The bag he placed in the drawer he'd claimed as his own; the laptop he set on top of the bureau.

"Jealous?" Duo taunted, rolling over onto his back and letting his hands roam over his chest, torso, and thighs-all the while, watching Wufei.

"Of what is already mine?" the Chinese boy returned, climbing onto the bed and kneeling over his braided lover. He grinded his hips down into Duo's, lips hovering scant inches above Duo's face. "Never..."

Duo whimpered a moan, his head rolling back as his hips thrust upwards into Wufei's. That extension of neck and throat just begged to be kissed and sucked and Wufei was only too willing to respond.

On cue, the third member of their troop walked in, closing and locking the door behind him. "Will you two cut it out," Trowa said, dropping his bag down beside the second bed.

Duo replied by locking his legs around Wufei and twisting, turning, rolling so his Asian lover was beneath him. He began to nip and nuzzle his way down the Chinese boy's chest and torso spending extra time at sensitive spots, before nosing Wufei's legs apart and fondling his clothed crotch with his nose and cheek.

"Lonely?" Wufei gasped, his fingers burying into Duo's scalp as the braided American teased him. A second later he groaned as Duo's hot breath seeped past Wufei's flimsy pants to caress his penis.

Trowa's eyes never left the sight they made. "We're here for a job," he reminded them coolly.

"Which doesn't start till tomorrow, Tro-man." Duo turned his face away, still caressing Wufei, and looked across the room at Trowa. He pulled back a little, cool air rushing between his and Wufei's hot bodies. "Look, Trowa, we don't have to do anything if it's really bothering you."

Trowa said nothing for a moment; just continued to stare at them. And then he shook his head. "No, It's alright," he said after a moment. "I'm just... worried about Quatre."

The words were quiet, with little inflection, but what little there was, said a lot.

"Trowa...?"

The tall ex-gundam pilot looked down at Wufei. One arm was held out, palm up, to him, the other resting on Duo's shoulder as the boy rested against Wufei's legs. Trowa reached out and took Wufei's hand, surrendering to the tiny tug that pulled him down onto the bed with the other two.

Wufei tugged Trowa onto his knees and then pulled him closer. His other hand left Duo's shoulder to curl around Trowa's neck and pull the other boy down to his waiting mouth. Trowa gave no resistance and when Wufei's tongue demanded entrance, his lips parted for him. He was dead for a moment, no movement; just kneeling there, letting Wufei kissing him, and then, through the Chinese boy's gentle coaxing, Trowa began to return the kiss. A hand moved over his lower back, grazing over his buttocks, and then Duo turned and bit his thigh.

Trowa gasped, started, pulling back with a jerk. Wufei let him, staring up at Trowa with lazy-hooded eyes and a knowing, pleased smile. At his waist, Duo smirked up at Trowa, flashing his teeth and licking his lips.

"So, tell me. You uke-it or like to play seme?" Duo grinned.

Trowa stared at him, wondering what the heck he was talking about. "What?" he finally asked.

"Ignore him," Wufei told him, burying his hand near Duo's scalping and massaging. "He's butchering what little Japanese he managed to learn."

Duo continued to grin at him, unsympathetic.

"Oh."

"So, what do you like? Top or bottom?" Wufei asked.

Trowa looked at Wufei, shocked. There was a shifting on the bed as Wufei moved out from under Duo, turning to press his back against Trowa's front. "Uke," he said, wiggling his ass against Trowa's arousal.

"Or seme," Duo added, rubbing his penis against Trowa's ass.

Trowa bit back a moan, swallowing it as both boys rubbed against him.

"Pitch or receive," Duo continued, wrapping his arm around Trowa's waist to get to Wufei's penis, and fondling it through the white pants.

"It doesn't matter," Trowa managed to reply.

Duo sank his teeth into Trowa's shoulder. The other boy cried out, thrusting forward. Duo grinned and pulled back, nuzzling the shoulder and wiggling his hands between Wufei and Trowa's bodies. He managed to unzip Trowa's jeans, but getting them off proved a bit more difficult.

"Okay, that's it," Duo said irritably. "Split and strip."

Wufei grinned, moving away obediently and pulling his tank top off in one fluid motion before loosening his pants and dropping them, too. Trowa was shocked motionless as he watched both boys shed their clothing without delay and turn to him, expectantly.

"C'mon, Trowa," Duo said, tugging on his open jeans. "Lose 'em."

Trowa chucked the jeans and was pulling his shirt up over his head when impatient lips seized his nipple. He gasped, and finished jerking his shirt off, his arms falling, dropping the shirt as they went, settling on Duo's shoulders as the braided one moved from one nipple to the other.

Trowa looked over to Wufei. The Chinese pilot was laying back, one arm behind his head, the other thrown over his stomach, his fingers playing over the taunt skin as he watched them. Trowa groaned, leaning into Duo.

Trowa had had many lovers in his young life. He was well experienced with sex. But more and more, things between him and the four other gundam pilots were different. Loving Quatre made things different. Loving made *him* different, and now something that he'd done millions of times before became something all together new and wonderfully exciting for him.

Duo was kissing Trowa's chest and torso, tasting him and comparing what he discovered to his two lovers. Trowa was smooth-skinned. He had many of the scars and telltale scatches that Wufei and Heero (and Duo himself) possessed. His scent was different too-and yet, slightly similar. Duo didn't know how to describe it, but it still managed to affect him, do things to his body. Trowa smelled good, he decided, and he wanted to crawl all up into him.

"Duo!"

Trowa's hips bucked, his fingers digging into Duo's shoulders as the braided boy began to nuzzle the length of his penis.

"Duo."

It was a soft-spoken command that left Trowa bereft of Duo's attentions as the braided boy all but pounced on Wufei, straddling the Chinese boy and kissing him soundly. Trowa thought he would scream as his penis tightened painfully, watching the other two carry on. Wufei seized hold of the braid that fell over Duo's shoulder, wrapping its length around his fist. The two boys grinded into each other, moaning as they kissed. Trowa panted, watching them from where Duo left him, on his knees near the edge of the bed. His hand strayed down to his heavy cock, weeping for attention.

Duo reared back suddenly, crying out, thrusting his hips more forcefully. "OH, god, Wufei! I'm gonna come!"

And that's when their comm. Unit bleated for attention.

"Bloody, ever-lasting hell," Duo growled.

 

 

The stint went down sooner than expected and Wufei, Duo, and Trowa found themselves home in two instead of three days. Which was great as far as Heero was concerned. Things had been difficult in the mansion with the three other men gone and Quatre purposefully avoiding him. It was horrible; Heero Yuy was lonely and pouting...

That is, until the car pulled up and he heard Duo's voice shouting, "Home, Sweet Home!"

He was at the front door before Wufei was even out of the car.

"Where's Quatre," Trowa asked when it was finally okay to distract the perfect soldier's attention from welcoming back his lovers.

Heero frowned at him. "He went into the capitol city... to get away from me."

"What happened?" Trowa questioned, at once alarmed and worried.

Heero shrugged, turning with them to go back inside. "He was interested," the Japanese teen informed them, "but then he pulled out. Cut and run and I haven't seen him since early yesterday."

"Maybe you were just too intense for him, baby," Duo tried to sooth his love's wounded pride, secretly calling Quatre ten kinds of fools for even trying to resist his honey-bunny. And then he grinned, the thought of the cursed nickname he'd tried bestowing on Heero one night and the uproar that had ensued there after refreshing his spirits.

"He said that it wasn't fair to you guys," Heero was saying.

"Didn't you explain that we already knew-" The look on Heero's face answered Trowa's question and the tall teen frowned, wondering what to do now.

"I think you guys are going about this the wrong way," Duo announced, tugging Heero and Wufei onto the sofa to either side of him so he could cuddle them both.

"Oh?" Wufei asked, leaning back against his longhaired lover-he made a pretty comfy pillow, actually. "And what way would you go about it?"

"Well," Duo frowned thoughtfully. "Well, I would approach him friendly-like. I mean, Heero here, he just *exudes* sexuality. You, too, Wu-babe. You both are like sex gods. Now, *me* on the other hand, I'm the buddy-pal-good friend type of guy, you know? Good to joke around with and tease. So, what if...."

And a plan formed. It was a shame Quatre was the best strategist among them, but, all-in-all, the plan they worked out *was* bound to be fun...

 

 

Duo grinned across the throw rug; sitting in his armchair's mate was none other than Mr. CEO himself. "Okay, rules of the game," he said, unzipping his pants and pulling out his semi-hard penis. "Make the other guy come first by sharing and jerking. Get it?"

"Why did I agree to this?" Quatre asked bemusedly, but agreeably, he opened the front of his pants, too.

"Because Heero and 'Fei ain't around for me to bother and neither is Trowa," Duo grinned at him.

The blond shook his head forlornly and sighed. "Okay, so, when I say something... intimate, then..."

"Yeah, you say something fucking trashy and ya whack it." To demonstrate, Duo pulled on his cock, showing off for the blond.

"Okay, you go first."

Duo grinned. "I thought I just did," he murmured. "Okay, here's one for ya: Heero gives the best blowjob I've ever had," he informed the blond, slowly moving his hand in his lap. He tried to hide his smirk at the other teen's cheeks slightly infused with color. "Now you."

"Uh uh... Trowa has to be the best," Quatre returned.

"Oh really? What's he do that's so good?" Duo wondered.

"Well, he can... he can, fit it all in," the blond blushed even more.

"You mean Tro can down your whole dick?" Duo asked, eyeing Quatre's endowments... and he was very nicely endowed.

Quatre nodded and Duo whistled appreciatively. "And then he does something like he's swallowing-" He broke off in a little, caught moan.

Duo was all ready to join him just at the thought.

"What about you guys?"

"Hmm?"

"Who does who?" Quatre wanted to know, his ears turning pink with the boldness of his question.

"Oh, well, you know, there's really no set rule; we're all over the place." Duo grinned. "If you want to give it or take it hard and heavy, you go to Heero, you know? If you're looking for lingering foreplay and sensual delights, you head over to Wufei. Heero really likes to receive, you know what I mean? Especially when I'm giving, but not so much with Wufei. I don't know what it is, but Heero really seems to enjoy fucking 'Fei."

"What about you?"

"What about me? Oh! Well, I really love giving it to Heero. He's so damn sexy when he begs you to fuck him harder; and those times he takes me are really great, but they're nothing like 'Fei."

"Oh?" Quatre's voice hitched.

"Yeah, with Heero it's more like being fucked, you know? Really good every time, but even when he's going slow, it's still a good fucking. With Wufei it's all about making love. He could be pounding your ass into the ground and he's still making love to you. I'm not really sure what the difference is, but there is a difference."

"Which one do you like better?"

"Auh, man, that's a crazy question, Cat. There is no 'better'. I love those men, both. I won't ever choose between them, you know? I mean, I have *moods* sure, we all do. There are some days when all I want to do is fuck fuck fuck, and others, well, I just want to love. There are days when I can't get enough of Wufei's cock up my ass, and other days when I just want to fuck the daylights out of him." Duo shrugged. "What about you and Trowa?"

The blond young man smiled softly. "Trowa... Trowa," he smiled more, shaking his head. "The look on his face when he comes-I think I could live in that moment forever, you know? And I just want to... there isn't anything I wouldn't do for him, to make him happy. And when he smiles... oh Duo, he's so beautiful, and you wouldn't think it because he's always so quiet, but those tiny sounds he makes when..."

"Oh, man, Quatre, don't stop now! When what? When he comes inside you?"

"Well, no, actually... we don't do it like that a whole lot... mostly it's, I mean, I, well, I-how did you say it? 'Pitch'?"

"Oh, you're shitting me! No way, man, Q! I never took you for the dominating lover-type."

"It's always been like that between us. There have only been two or three times when he... and I-oh! But Duo! It was really, really good! I mean, Trowa's so long and it just keeps going in and in and you think he could come in your throat he's so big! I can't stop fantasizing about it! Sometimes, even when we're... and I pretend it's him and I'm the one, you know..." Quatre fumbled with the words, trying to get them out, but it was decidedly embarrassing to be talking like this to a friend when he was also touching himself and thinking the same thing about that friend's lover!

"So you fantasize about Trowa fucking you when you're fucking him, is that it?" Duo summed up, gleefully noting the pleasant flush that was now completely covering his blond friend. He bet that if they took off his shoes they'd find that even his toes were flushed! Don't forget your job, Maxwell!

"What else do you fantasize about?"

"Well, there is the one..."

"Yes..?"

"On a desk."

"On a desk?"

Quatre nodded. "Yes. I'm on a desk and taking it up the-" his eyes closed briefly, as if scrounging up the courage to say the word, "ass."

"Hn. Not bad," Duo nodded, trying his best to look impressed. "Who's doing ya?"

Quatre's eyes went wide and he stared at Duo-or rather, behind Duo, but the braided-boy didn't seem to noticed. "H-Heero!"

"Wow! Now I'm impressed!" Duo grinned, staring over Quatre's shoulders and nodding briefly. "You fantasizing about Heero fucking you on a desk? That's kinda kinky, Cat."

"No! I mean-" he faltered again, watching the Japanese man slowly come up behind Duo's chair. "Yes, that is pretty kinky, I guess. What do you fantasize about, Duo?"

"Oh, I have hundreds of little fantasies, almost all revolving around Heero and Wufei, you know," Duo replied amiably. "But, well, recently, there's been this one..."

"Oh?"

"Yes, for some strange reason, I keep picturing Wufei and we're just going at it like crazy, you know? And then, Trowa's there with us and, man! One minute Wufei's doing me over good, and the next---wham! I'm pounding away at Trowa like there's no tomorrow!"

"Well, um, I-I didn't know you had those kinds of thoughts about-about Trowa."

"Yeah, I've had quite a few. Though, I gotta admit, about the most wild one I've ever had yet---? The five of us, man, and just one bed. Now, *there's* an interesting fantasy."

Quatre swallowed. "Indeed."

"Would you ever do something like that, Quatre?"

"Excuse me? Like what?"

"Well, you know-the five of us? One bed...?"

"Oh! I... I don't know. I mean, I would have to discuss something like that with Trowa, you know."

"And if Trowa was okay with it?"

"Well, I mean, if Trowa was okay with it..."

"Wouldn't you love to feel Heero's hot cock poundin' away at your ass? And what about watching me fuck Trowa for you? I bet I could get him to scream when he comes."

"I-oh, god, Duo, I don't think this was a very good idea-"

Quatre stood to leave, fumbling with his pants-and turned right into Trowa. "Oh!"

'Oh!' his mind repeated, horrified. 'Trowa...*and* Heero... and they both heard--!'

"Hello, Quatre," Trowa said-his voice as soft and calm as it always sounded. "Is there something you wanted to ask me?"

"T-Trowa! No, no, I just-Duo and I were just playing a silly game, and-"

He didn't want to hear any false excuses-reasons why the blond boy was in the library, masturbating. So he did what came naturally to him when he was with Quatre: he kissed the blond boy. Gently at first, sweet and comforting, reassuringly. "It's okay," he answered, dropping to his knees and pressing his face into Quatre's stomach. "I know you want to."

"Oh, god, Trowa!" Quatre groaned, wrapping his arms around his love's shoulders and head, holding him to him. "I love you so much," he whispered, bending over to kiss his sweet lips.

"So, basically the ball's in your court, Cat," Duo's voice reached him. He turned and looked, and saw the braided young man sitting up on the arms of the chair, leaning back against his Japanese lover, Heero's arm wrapped around him, his hand moving over Duo's, fingers wrapped around Duo's exposed penis, pulling on it with slow and heavy strokes.

"What about Wufei?" Quatre tried to stall, pressing back against Trowa. Arms wrapped around his waist and thighs; Quatre's fingers played idly in Trowa's bangs.

"What about me?:" the Chinese boy's voice asked.

"Wufei!"

A dark head, hair unbound, peeked itself over the top of the sofa that turned to face the windows. "Yes?"

"I didn't know anyone was in here! And we--! You! Oh my."

"Heard?" Wufei smiled lazily and nodded, hanging his arms over the back of the sofa, shin propped up on the crack of an elbow. "Yes, and I am honored you think so... lovingly of me."

"You...you..." Quatre looked from one face to another and silently reprimanded himself for not noticing the set-up sooner. His look fell back to Heero. "You've already discussed this."

Heero nodded-Duo was too distracted to reply. "We're not against trying something new. Things worked out pretty well between the three of us; it can't be that bad to try and add you and Trowa, and if things don't work out, well, no one's saying we have to stay together. Besides, Trowa and I have already had sex before. I don't mind having sex-excuse me, fucking, you too," the Japanese teen told him.

"What?" That certainly surprised the blond-and just when he thought he couldn't get more surprised that day. Heero and Trowa had... He turned to his lover, surprised still washing his face, and asked, "Trowa... is there anyone in this room you *haven't* slept with?"

He meant it as a joke, honestly; just a teasing little jib, but to his horror, Trowa actually looked at the three other men in the room serious before turning back to Quatre. "Duo," Trowa answered.

It was a toss-up over who was more surprised by his answer: Quatre or Duo.

The blond blinked--repeatedly-and turned to look at a slightly blushing Wufei and at Heero-who wasn't looking at him but down at Duo, a... was that a--a--SMIRK? on his lips???

"Before or AFTER me?" Quatre didn't know what made him ask that, but the fact that Trowa actually had to *consider* the answer--

Trowa hesitated, thinking back over the events during the war and in what sequence things had happened. He'd meet Quatre first, but they didn't sleep together right away. No, he gave his body to Wufei first, to help bring the Chinese pilot back from a suicidal self-loathing. And then he had met up with Quatre again and they had... made love. And then Heero had self-destructed and... "Both?"

Quatre's eyes popped out, jaw dropped. Okay, it stood to reason that they *had* been separated for a year... but, he knew damn well that he was the first gundam pilot Trowa met, which meant...

Heero's voice cut into his thoughts and he *was* smirking! "Who was better?"

Trowa looked at the gathered men thoughtfully, and then caught Quatre's expression. The blond's face was red with more than just embarrassment. "Quatre," he answered quickly, relieved to know it was the truth, too.

"Good answer," Quatre growled, not knowing how exactly he should feel about the fact that his lover had slept with two of the three other men in the room.

"So, wait a minute!" Duo cut in, anger and disbelief in his voice. "You're tellin' me you've fucked *everyone* in this room *except* me?" Trowa nodded. "What the hell was wrong with me???"

"You were a virgin," Trowa answered simply, as if that explained it all.

"Oh! Like that means anything!" Duo poshed, pushing Heero's hands away from him.

"And," Trowa added, eyes flickering from Heero to Wufei. "You didn't need me. You had Heero and Wufei, or Quatre with you at all times."

"Hmphf." Duo took a seat away from both his lovers' reach. "I just don't do it for you, is that it? It's the hair, right? It can be a turn off for some people, I know-"

"No," Trowa stopped him, feeling a bit more than his normal uncomfortableness in this situation. "Your hair is very pretty, Duo."

"Wanna feel it?" Duo grinned, a light sparkling in his indigo eyes. Trowa nodded. "Tell ya what, Cat," he said, looking between the other men in the room. "There's a desk right over there. What do you say the five of us try making some fantasies come true?"

And they did. Oh, boy! Did they ever!

 

 

Being the new boy-toys of the master-as Duo so wonderfully put it late one night when five strapping, young bodies were sinfully and hedonistically employed-brought with it new responsibilities.

Translations: Quatre insisted (and somehow managed to coerce) Heero, Duo, and Wufei into joining Trowa and him at balls, galas, ceremonies, benefit functions, and all sorts of horribly boring high-class society events that the three men would have normally happily skipped out on.

And if someone noticed that Quatre Winner was missing at some point during the evening-well, he always showed up eventually. And if the performers had to sing a little bit more loudly during "Music of the Night" to cover up the going-on's in a balcony box-well, it was just lucky the performers had loud voices. The four young men even grudgingly subjected themselves to a photo-shoot for one of the blonde's sisters-they got some pretty neat pictures out of that week's worth of camera stalking

And life went on... interestingly. A good interestingly. Before they knew it, outside it had gotten cold, and their trial-year was almost up.

 

End Part 12

**Part Thirteen: Promise of the Rings**

 

_December 198 AC_

_Lying beside you, here in the dark_  
Feeling your heartbeat with mine,  
Softly you whisper, you're so sincere.  
How can our love be so blind?  
We sailed on together,  
We drifted apart,  
I'm here, you're here by my side.

Trowa lay on his side; Quatre snuggled up against his chest, curled into him, sound asleep. It was late-already 4am. In another hour and a half, his shining prince would be waking... They had stayed up late; Quatre reviewing business papers, Trowa reading a book of philosophy Wufei had lent him. It had been late when the blond young executive of the Earth Sphere's largest company had finally sighed and agreed to retire to bed... it had been later still before he had exhausted himself into sleep.

Trowa could not sleep.

He laid awake, watching Quatre sleep; his heart swelled his throat. Fingers brushed through blond bangs, fanning them away from that angelic face, tracing the delicate curve of his face... that smooth extent of that deceiving body. So strong for one so small.... Strong in body and in spirit...

He could feel the rhythmic thudding of Quatre's heart, beating against his chest, resonating, repeating, and answering in Trowa's chest. Whimsically, he thought it was like their two hearts beating as one... or, better still, that Quatre /was/ his heart... the entity that kept him alive.

In the silent darkness of predawn there was nothing to distract him from his love. The soft skin; the slopes, valleys, and plateaus of toned muscles; the fine, blond hairs that covered his pale, golden body.... In his arms, Quatre slept, unconscious or else unbothered by his lover's scrutiny.

And the soft murmur that fell so innocently from Quatre's sleeping lips... "Love you."

Trowa smiled, closing his eyes and burying his face into Quatre's soft hair. "Love you, too," he replied to the sleeping form, wondering what had possessed him to ever leave this boy.

It was so easy to remember-to remember how they had been, during the war. It was crazy; it was horrible timing. Everything should have been so terrible-the fighting, the killing, the dying, the hiding, the hunting, the hunted... never knowing if you were going to be alive at the end of the day... tomorrow... the day after that?

In all that was horrible... he had found something so good. Too good. Quatre made him remember there was still good in the world...

His smiles... his laughter... his kisses... his sweet touches... and the sex. The sex was definitely good. Better than good. Sex with Quatre hadn't been just sex... it had been love. Love....

A tear slipped free, rolling down Trowa's cheek and falling into Quatre's hair.

Love... he hadn't understood it then. He hadn't understood it even when he'd left... he'd understood the pain. He knew pain.... But never...

His arms tightened around the blond boy, holding on to his lifesaver...

Lifesaver... yes, Quatre was his lifesaver. He wasn't alive without Quatre... just some body, a husk walking around, filling up space. Quatre made him feel alive. Quatre's love made him feel alive...

And then Trowa had realized... he loved Quatre....

He loved Quatre... and wanted to be with him... Even if he wasn't worthy of the other boy. Even if the other boy didn't care for him like he said he did... but then... Quatre did. Quatre said he loved Trowa... and he meant it... and he wanted to be with him, too...

Quatre wanted Trowa.... Out of everyone, anyone... he wanted Trowa...

"Love you, too," he whispered, finally too exhausted to remain awake.

 _So now I come to you, with open arms_  
Nothing to hid, believe what I say  
So here I am, with open arms,  
Hoping you'll see, what you love means to me,  
Open arms.

Quatre kissed him, lips pressing against his, lips opening, teeth nipping at his lower lip, sucking at it. "I missed you so much," the blond man groaned, arms wrapping around Trowa and holding him close.

"I missed you, too," the cinnamon haired youth admitted, willingly melting into Quatre's arms. This was where he wanted to be... this is what was missing during the long, lonely year... Quatre. "I'm sorry."

Gently, callused hands cupped his face, forcing him to look down into bright, shining, teal eyes. "I'm sorry, too. I was prideful. I didn't want you to leave; I didn't try to stop you because I was too proud. I'm sorry," Quatre whispered, staring up at Trowa sincerely.

"I was afraid..." Trowa admitted softly. "I was afraid of loving you... I didn't understand..."

"Love you..." Quatre breathed against his lips.

"Love you, too," Trowa answered, kissing him.

 _Living without you, living alone_  
This empty house seemed so cold  
Wanting to hold you, wanting you near  
How much I wanted you home  
But now that you've come back  
Tonight into day, I need you stay.

Quatre woke naturally at a quarter to six-the time he got up to go to work. But today was Saturday, and there was no place he needed to be. At least, not for another three hours.

Smiling, he stared up at his lover, thinking about how nice it was to wake up in Trowa's arms. The past year had been horrible... sleeping alone... waking up alone... Not that he didn't have plenty of opportunities to change that fact... They... They just weren't Trowa. He had hated it. Hated that feeling of isolation.

He'd been surrounded by employees and sisters.... By socials and officials... and he'd been utterly alone.

If only once, during those twelve months... Only once, if he'd been able to hold Trowa... see him... But, no. he'd let his pride get in the way. If Trowa hadn't wanted him, then he wasn't going to go begging for the other pilot to come back. Gundam pilots didn't beg... well, most of the time, anyway, Quatre thought, smiling again as he pressed his cheek against Trowa's well-toned chest.

He was glad he'd gotten over that. Glad he'd decided that he didn't want to live without Trowa-and relieved beyond belief that Trowa felt the same about him. And now, they were together again... they were home, with each other.

And Quatre intended for them to stay that way; together, forever... it was only a matter of 'when'.

 _So now I come to you, with open arms_  
Nothing to hid, believe what I say  
So here I am, with open arms  
Hoping you'll see, what you love means to me,  
Open arms.

Trowa smiled at him, as his lover bowed and asked him to dance. He normally felt silly, dancing at one of these socials that Quatre was required to attend, but he would do anything the blond man asked of him, and smiling graciously, he accepted. They turned out onto the dance floor, both graceful and talented-the dance one Quatre had been trained in many years ago and Trowa had picked up on easily. Together they made a stunning couple, despite of or perhaps because of the lack of skirts that hid either partner's legs throughout the dance.

Trowa was somewhat breathless before the dance was over-more because of the look Quatre was giving him... those aqua-like eyes twinkling with devilment. Trowa almost laughed-a deep laugh rolling up from his stomach and chest-when the blond twirled him off the dance floor and out of the room onto the terrace without missing a beat. They walked hand-in-hand, silently through the December-chilled English-style garden, smiling as they danced with their own thoughts.

It was several minutes before Quatre stopped them near a fountain. Turning the other man to look at him, Quatre smiled and squeezed Trowa's hand.

"Trowa?" he began, his voice soft and lovely-the voice Trowa had come to love as much as the man to whom it belonged. "I love you."

Trowa smiled, leaning forward to kiss Quatre as he replied, "Love you, too."

But Quatre smiled and ducked away from Trowa's approaching lips-the taller man presented a mock-pout, but obediently did not try to kiss him. Quatre couldn't help but be thrilled-they knew each other so well. They had come such a long way in three years...

"I know," Quatre answered, brushing Trowa's lips with his thumbs. "I always want us to be together."

"I'm not going anywhere," Trowa returned, grinning now, as well, wrapping his arms loosely around Quatre's waist, as well aware of where this type of conversation tended to lead as his lover was. Absently, he wondered what the chances were of any person wandering out into the gardens and just what their response would be to finding two men going at it in the bushes.

"Care to make that official?"

Trowa's thoughts came to a blinding halt and the smile melted away from his face as stunned surprise took over. "Ex-cuse me?" he stuttered.

Quatre smiled, leaning up to press his lips to Trowa's. "I love you, Trowa Barton, and I want us to be together always, officially." His hands slid around Trowa's face to clasp lightly around his neck. "I would like us to be married... I want you to be my husband."

Trowa didn't know what to say or do or how he could say or do it even if he did know. His body reacted on its own, swiftly moving around Quatre's, his lips sealing over Quatre's mouth, his tongue diving into its moist recesses as he squeezed the shorter man to him.

When they finally broke apart, both men were smiling radiantly. "I'm offering you love, and passion... and co-ownership of one of the largest companies in the Earth Sphere."

"Well, how can I say no to that?" Trowa responded, cheekily, before leaning back down to kiss Quatre again.

 _So now I come to you, with open arms_  
Nothing to hid, believe what I say  
So here I am, with open arms  
Hoping you'll see, what you love means to me,  
Open arms.

_Could be! Who knows?_  
There's something due any day;  
I will know right away,  
Soon as it shows.

The air was tingling with anticipation-and it was more than just the servants' anxious excitement to have everything ready for the party that night. After all, it was the day before Christmas! And something was coming-something good. He didn't know what it was, but he knew it was going to be great. If only he could wait.

He stretched, smile etched firmly in place-only mildly deterred that out of five, he was the only one left in the bed. He rolled out of bed, bare feet slapping against the cold floor as he padded his way downstairs in search of his lovers.

 _It may come cannon-balling down thru the sky,_  
Gleam in its eye,  
Bright as a rose!

The door was thrown open and Duo Maxwell came barreling into the house office. "Hey, Q-man! Ready for the party tonight? Lots of people coming, huh? Gonna tell me what you got everybody? Gonna be lots of good food, too, I can smell it already. Boy, won't this be a bash!"

The blond man laughed and pulled Duo off his desk and into his lap, wrapping arms around the braided man's waist. "Yes, I'm ready for the party, and no, I'm not going to tell you-you have to wait your turn like everyone else."

"Sure I can't change your mind?" Duo teased, leaning in close to his long time friend and more recent lover.

Quatre laughed again, this time slapping Duo's thigh and pushing the braided man back out of his lap. "Why don't you go get dressed? The guests will start arriving soon and I still have a few more things to take care of here."

"What?" Duo asked with mock indignation. "You mean I can't show up like this?" He pulled at the blue-red plaid flannel pants that looked to be at least two sizes too big-but they were comfy. Quatre should know; they were his.

"While I'm rather fond of you in flannel, I don't think the President and his wife will be, Duo. Now, be a good little kept boy and run upstairs and get dressed," Quatre teased.

"Auh, shucks," Duo grinned at him. "Maybe I can convince 'Fei or Heero to give me a bath first, whaddaya think?"

More light laughter followed Duo as he practically danced back out of the office and through the house, tempting each of his other lovers with a little distraction. He couldn't help it-he was in a very good mood!

 _I got a feeling there's a miracle due,_  
Gonna come true,  
Coming to me!

Quatre sighed a bit with relief when his energetic lover left-relieved he hadn't seen...

He opened his desk's top drawer again-for about the fiftieth time that morning-and a radiant smile spread across his face. He took the five somethings out and slipped them into his coat pocket. Tonight... tonight...

 _Could it be? Yes it could._  
Something's coming, something good,  
If I can wait!  
Something's coming,  
I don't know what it is,  
But it is   
Gonna be great!

He was bouncing with excitement. And why shouldn't he be?

It was their first real Christmas-and *nothing* had better happen to ruin it for them! All five of them. A 3 year anniversary of sorts. Only 3 Christmases ago... was it possible? It seemed like so much longer. The war, the fighting, the gundams.... A part of the past now.

This year was going to be special-he could *feel* it!

_Something's coming, don't know when--  
but it's soon;_

Heero smiled and pulled his lover close, growling as he took his mouth. "Behave and get dressed," he told the breathless Duo.

The braided man laughed and turned around the room, holding onto his Japanese lover and forcing him to 'dance', too. "What cha get me, Hee-chan? Huh? Huh? Something good?"

"A stocking full of coal," the coffee-haired man answered, deadpan.

Duo stuck his tongue out at his lover-who captured it with his teeth, sucking it back into his mouth. Duo moaned and melted back into Heero's arms.

 _Around the corner,_  
Or whistling down the river,  
Come on, deliver  
To me.

Trowa caught him before he could turn the corner. Laughing, Duo kicked out at him, half-heartedly struggling to get free. "No! No!" he laughed. "I don't want to!"

He was trapped though. Trowa hifted him up over one shoulder and carried the braided man back to his room where his white tux waited. "Too bad," the cinnamon-haired ten replied calmly-as if he hadn't just indulged the braided-man in a five-room chase, but the corners of his lips were turned suspiciously upwards.

"But it's WHITE! That's *so* not my color, Tro!" Duo protested, stilling laughing-hey! It *was* a rather nice view of the taller man's ass from this position!

"Quatre specified the color personally," the other man said, still not letting go of Duo-although he'd stopped wiggling around-until he could deposit the longhaired man onto his bed. "Now get dressed."

 _Will it be? Yes, it will._  
Maybe just by holding still,  
It'll be there!

"I know you're there."

Duo laughed and finally gave up his hiding place, standing up and grinning irreproachably at his Chinese lover. "You're not *really* gonna drag me down there dressed like *this* are ya, Wu-bear?" He turned up the 'large-poor-me' eyes and tried for a pitiful pout-but it was a pitiful attempt considering he couldn't stop smiling.

Wufei eyed his lover admiringly top to bottom. "You look like a devilish angel," he told Duo, snatching up the end of his braid and pulling Duo closer to him. "Lovely," he breathed, lightly kissing the man in his arms.

"Mmm... warrior poet mine," Duo sighed.

Wufei's fingers playing in the end of the braid. "Are you going to leave your hair up tonight?" he asked, imagining how breathtaking Duo looked when his hair was all clean and shiny and loose...

"Yeah, I don't want to deal with it," Duo said, shaking his head so the braid jumped free from Wufei's hand.

"I will," the Chinese man offered, reaching for the rope of chestnut hair again and quickly slipping the elastic band from the end. "Leave it loose, please?" Dark eyes looked into amethyst, and Duo knew his hair would remain loose tonight. "We can put a ribbon in it if you like? Put it in a loose ponytail, but leave it loose..."

Duo smiled lazily and kissed Wufei again, heavy eyes falling shut as he felt the other man's fingers playing through his hair, unraveling the braid and finger-combing it into waves. "Wo ai ni... whatever you want..."

 _Come on something, come on in,_  
don't be shy,  
Meet a guy,  
Pull up a chair!

"Duo!"

"Hi-ya, Marie!" he laughed, scooping the little girl up and twirling her around. "I haven't seen you in a while, been good?"

"Tolerably," the redheaded child replied, grinning up at him when he set her down. "You didn't come to my birthday party last month-I was really hoping you would."

"Ye gawds! Was that *last* month?" Duo looked appropriately horrified, winning a small giggle from the girl. "I thought that was *next* month!"

"No!" Mariemeia laughed, shaking her head. "It was the third of November. Mother had a special cake made, and Miss Dorothy and Miss Relena came over for dinner. And, isn't my dress pretty? Miss Dorothy gave it too me! And Miss Relena gave me this locket, see?"

Duo dutifully commented her on the pretty indigo velvet dress and the golden locket, and when she asked, he even agreed to share a turn or two out on the dance floor.

_The air is humming,  
And something great is coming!_

He'd managed to find a secluded spot to waylay his Japanese lover-it was so easy to distract him when the man was busy trying to hide from the ladies, and Wufei was caught in a heated debate with Sally Po while Quatre was entertaining some delegates with Trowa looking pretty on the blond's arm.

"What's with you today?" Heero murmured, fingers combing lazily through the loose hair over Duo's back.

"Mmm, something good is coming," Duo answered, nibbling at Heero's throat.

"Hai," the shorter-haired man squeezed Duo's backside. "But it can wait a few more hours, can't it?"

Duo laughed, pressing harder into Heero against the wall. "Oh, that most definitely will be coming...later..." He grinned. "No, I mean something *else* is going to happen; something really, really great. Can't you feel it? It's like the air is humming with excitement!" he whispered fiercely.

"I have you and Wufei and Quatre and Trowa... what more great things could happen?" Heero returned, kissing him again.

_Who knows?  
Maybe tonight...._

"Duo?"

He turned and saw Quatre approaching them, Trowa and Wufei in tow. "Can you meet me in the office, please? There's something I need to talk to you all about."

Laughing, Duo led the troupe into the quite possibly ONLY empty room in the house. "Okay, Quatre, spill it!" he demanded, walking straight to the center of the room before turning to face the four other men who were his friends, his family, his lovers, his life. "You asked us in here; what's the scoop?"

The blond young man was last to file into the room, right behind Heero-who immediately took up space in one of the armchairs, pulling Wufei into his lap before the Chinese man could protest. Heero wrapped his arms around Wufei's middle, threading his fingers together to lock them, and propped his chin up on the other man's shoulder. Wufei, for his part, didn't complain-only leaned back into the overly friendly handling.

Trowa walked past Duo and hopped up to sit on top of the large desk in the room. He folded his arms and crossed his legs, waiting for his love to explain.

Quatre leaned back against the door, locking it behind his back, and looked at them. Each one. They looked incredible in their white tuxes-each suit different to conform to the man in it. Wufei and Duo already had their jackets off— Duo's waistcoat was open. Both had elected to wear their hair down for the occasion. Beautiful. That's what they were. Beautiful. Heero and Trowa were no less stunning, of course. No indeed. Their beauty was more masculine-that was not to say Duo and Wufei weren't masculine. He smiled. The two were definitely *all* male...

"You're stalling," Duo chastised. "And while normally you know I wouldn't mind, being that I *highly* dislike these parties and all, but they were *just* coming around with the crab cakes, Q-man, and you *know* how much I love crab cakes!"

Quatre continued to smile-he couldn't help it, the excitement he was already feeling seemed to come bouncing back at him from Duo, along with high levels of interest from the other three men-and he pushed off from the door and began crossing the room, his hands in his pockets. "Yes, I know," he answered softly. He turned before reached the desk, standing near Trowa, but far enough away so that he could see him with the others.

"It's been a year." He waited for any reaction, there was none. Even Duo was quiet. "By agreement, you are all free to leave if you like."

Again, silence.

"Are you trying to say you want us out, Q-man?" Duo ran a hand into his hair and scratched his neck-this definitely wasn't the something good he'd been expecting for the last couple of days now.

"No, actually," Quatre replied, turning and leaning against the desk. He pulled his hands from his pockets. In his hands were four small black velvet jewelry boxes. "I'm asking," he continued, tossing two of the boxes towards Heero and Wufei, and a third to Duo. He handed the fourth to Trowa, "to renew the contract, if you will." He paused. "For life."

They stared at the boxes, wearily, looking back up at him.

"Are you... *proposing* to us, Quatre?" Duo asked, turning the box over in his fingers, almost afraid to open it.

Quatre hopped up onto the desk next to Trowa, still smiling. "Yes."

Beside him, Trowa opened the box and looked in. Elsewhere in the room, three other boxes opened. Grunts and 'hmphfs' that Quatre interpreted as appreciation of fine craftsmanship sounded.

" 'Five... We... Are... One Heart... Have We,'" Duo read, turning the golden-silver ring over.

Heero looked over at him with question and Quatre nodded. "Gundanium, from the five suits. I had a crew ship me some from each before they... took the gundams away."

"So this is what you've been up to." Quatre smiled over at Trowa. "Partially," he admitted.

"You mean there's more?" Wufei asked, his voice filled with stunned disbelief.

"What I'm suggesting is not very conventional, I know," Quatre answered, standing up and walking to the center of the room. "In fact, I've never heard of a man having more than one male mate before." He smiled shyly at them from under his bangs. "But we've never been very conventional, have we?"

Duo flipped the gold band into the air and then caught it again. "So what's the proposition you have for us, Mr. Winner?"

Quatre clasped his hands behind his back. "Simply this: marriage. Five as One. There will be no divorce. If for some reason, one or more of you wish to be separated from me, then you may live in any one my family's residences, or, if you want, one of your own." He swallowed and lifted his chin, realizing that just because they were all lovers now didn't guarantee the three other men would want to remain with him on such terms indefinitely.

"Well, that's not very romantic," Duo quipped. "But, then again, I always figured I'd be the one doing the asking!"

Quatre smiled and brushed his bangs back away from his eyes. "Then how's this: You are all a piece of me. Without you, I feel lost, empty. With you, I feel whole." He looked at Heero and Wufei on the chair. Heero was looking at him, but Wufei was still looking at the ring in its case. "You are my Protector." He looked over at Duo, standing across from him. "My Friend." Trowa was looking at him, watching him with that one visible green-colored eye. "My Equal. My Lover." He looked back at Heero and Wufei. The Chinese man was looking back at him now. "And My Defender. You are my Soul, My Power, My Body, My Heart, and My Mind. I don't want to live without you."

Silence. And then Duo let out a low whistle. "Knew you had it in you."

"I realize this is sudden," Quatre continued after another moment, "but you don't have to answer right away-"

"I accept."

Quatre turned back to look at Trowa. "I wasn't about to take 'no' as an answer from you. Especially since you already said yes," he teased, crossing the short distance between them. He took the ring from Trowa's hands and slipped it onto his finger before wrapping the taller man up in his arms. "I don't plan on letting *you* go, *ever*."

"I don't plan on leaving, *ever*," the graceful pilot replied, burying his face in the clean-buttery-biscuit-scent of his Love, wrapping his arms around Quatre and pulling him closer.

Behind Quatre's back, the three remaining pilots were busy sending looks at one another.

"So... what's the catch?" Duo asked, breaking into the moment.

"No catch," Quatre answered, turning in Trowa's arms and leaning back against him. "Just that we five will be legally bonded to each other, wedded." He lifted Trowa's hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. "Otherwise, everything will be exactly the same as it has been these last couple of months."

"And all we have to do is put on this little ring and make a promise, huh?" Duo looked back at Heero and Wufei. He shrugged. "It sounds like a good deal to me." He slid the ring home on his left hand, surprised at the perfect fit. He tossed a glance towards Quatre and Trowa before watching Heero and Wufei.

"Fei?" The dark-haired man had returned to staring at the gold band in the black box.

"You are my family now," he replied lowly. "I have no intention, nor desire, to leave." He slipped the ring from the box and closed it. "My Protector, My Friend, My Equal, My Lover; My Soul, My Power, My Body, and My Heart."

Quatre's smile increased as he watched a third man slide the ring home. Wufei looked up at him.

"I accept," the proud heir to the dead dragon clan announced.

They looked next to Heero-only to discover he'd already placed the ring on. "My home is with Duo and Wufei," he explained when questioning looks were shot his way. "Our home is with you and Trowa. I accept as well."

Quatre beamed at all of them. "Then it's agreed. We are wedded."

"What about your ring, Quatre?" Wufei asked.

"Oh!" Excited, the blond man pulled a fifth black box from his pocket and handed it to Trowa before he began pulling at the large signet ring on his left hand. He moved it onto his right and then turned to Trowa, smiling. The other man already had the fifth golden ring free from its case and slid it onto Quatre's finger. "There!"

"I've never heard of anyone having five husbands before," Wufei muttered, now that the event was over.

"Only four," Quatre corrected, grinning. "And polygamy isn't very common, it's true, but it's not illegal anymore, either. As long as the mate and any children can be provided for, and I really don't think that's a problem, do you?"

"So, what? Do we have to say any words or anything?" Duo asked, twisting the ring. It wasn't that it was uncomfortable, it was just something new.

"If you would like," the blond conceded. "But it isn't really necessary, no. All that's needed is your signature now on this contract so it can be recognized as a legal contract in the eyes of the government." He twisted around to pick up a document and held it out to them. 'Quatre Raberba Winner' was already scrolled proudly at the bottom of each sheet.

Trowa took up a pen and added his name underneath Quatre's. Violet eyes narrowed accusingly. "Is this going public? I mean, with you being all important and all, what with WEI and all the work you do with Relena-"

"No," Quatre shook his head for emphasis. "I don't plan on making a press release on the matter or even telling many people." He frowned, looking over at Trowa who was finishing up signing his name to the last page. "Trowa's already recognized as my boyfriend, so, I suppose, if you want, you and I can make an announcement," he offered. "But I'd rather not have any unnecessary attention drawn to yourselves."

Heero frowned. Duo and Wufei looked thoughtful. Trowa leaned over to nuzzle at Quatre's neck.

"This *does* mean, however, that my sisters are now your sisters." Groans met with that announcement-from all four men. Quatre just smiled and first Duo and then Heero and Wufei added their names to the document.

This was the best Christmas present ever, and they had the rest of their lives to enjoy it.

 

End Dance of the Heart arc

Andrea Readwolf


End file.
